Supernaturally Lost
by Shadowfax220
Summary: A Supernatural, Lost Crossover.  Sam and Dean are stranded on a tropical Island where the inhabitants are being terrorized by a monster. However, all is not as it seems and they must figure out the mystery of the island before they too become it's victims
1. Lost

Disclaimer: Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost

_Okay so I've been sitting here with this freakin plot bunny growing in my head and since it's the fist time I've actually been inspired to write in a while I thought I had better slap it out real quick. So I appologise for any typo's and all that but I was afraid of losing my Muse! She's been gone so much lately it's been difficult._

_This of course is going to be a multi-chapter story. Hopefully I can complete it without my muse wandering off again!_

**Chapter One:**

Sam shook his head. "No way dude," he told his brother, his eyes wide at the thought of what Dean planned.

"We don't have a choice Sam we're going down," Dean yelled over the sounds of waves crashing around them. "The others are all dead and this is the only life boat on this ship!"

"That's not a boat Dean," Sam screamed pointing at the life raft Dean was holding onto. "It's an air mattress with paddles!"

Before Dean could reply, the ship pitched wildly to the side and both brothers lost their footing as the wave crashed over them. Dean caught a quick glimpse of Sam being slammed into and over the aft railing before he was knocked painfully into the side of the ship. "SAM, NO!" he screamed as he scrambled to the railing searching the water for his brother. "SAMMY!"

Relief surged through him as Sam broke the surface a dozen yards away. Blood streamed down the side of his face, but he was conscious and alive. Dean looked around the sinking ship once more, secured his pack firmly over his shoulder and wove his arm through the ropes around the un-inflated life raft. With one final glance at Sam he dove into the wildly churning waters of the ocean and swam in his brother's direction.

- - - - -

Clair and Charlie walked hand in hand down the deserted beach, "What do you miss the most?" Charlie asked Clair as he played with Aaron who lay nestled in the sling draped across his shoulder. "You know, from home?" He grinned remembering the peanut butter. "Besides peanut butter," he clarified gazing back down at the baby.

"Besides peanut butter?" Clair repeated with a laugh. "Okay, let see," She said thoughtfully. "I guess I'd have to say…" She stopped suddenly her eyes intent on something further down the beach. "A life raft," she said quietly.

Charlie laughed and looked up at her, "A life raft?" he asked. "I don't think you're getting the idea of this game sweetheart."

"No, Charlie," she said and pointed down the beach. "A life raft."

Charlie's gaze followed Clair's pointing finger and there, nearly a hundred yards down the beach was a bright orange life raft. It was partially still in the water and each time a wave came up the beach it rippled gently pushing slightly further up onto the sand.

Charlie grabbed Clair's arm before she could go any closer. "Take Aaron, Clair" he said removing the sling. "Go get Sayid and the others."

Clair hesitated, "Charlie…"

"Go, Clair," Charlie said forcefully. "Now, go."

This time Clair didn't hesitate. She turned and ran down the beach clutching Aaron tightly too her so as not to jar him too much. Charlie watched her go until she went around the bend and out of sight. Then he turned towards the raft. "I'm out of my bloody mind," he muttered to himself as he slowly approached the craft. "I'm a bloody fool, I should wait for the others." He shook his head at his own idiocy.

A soft moan from within the raft slowed his pace but he straightened and tried to see into the vessel. Slowly he made his way closer until he was close enough to see into the life raft. There was a man in the raft, tall. Very tall probably because he was lying on his side and his legs were folded up curling him into a near fetal position. His long shaggy hair covered most of his face, but Charlie was sure there was dried blood tangled in his hair.

The man moaned again his head moving just slightly allowing Charlie a brief glance at a nasty looking gash across the man's forehead.

"Get away from him," said a cold hard voice from behind him.

Charlie spun around and found himself face to face with another stranger. This one had short cropped hair with vivid green eyes. Eyes that stared fiercely at Charlie holding him captive with a glare that promised pain if he failed to comply. Charlie's hands rose up, fingers splayed out in surrender as he also took in the sawed off shotgun that was pointed at his chest from mere inches away. He stumbled backwards nearly tripping on the side of the life raft in his haste. "I'm not gonna hurt him," Charlie told the other man.

The man in the raft groaned again as he slowly worked his way back to consciousness. "Dean," he moaned. "Dean!"

"I said move!" the man with the gun told Charlie again. "Get away from him."

Charlie moved then, swiftly making his way to the other side of the raft putting it between him and the man with the gun. "Look mate," he said. "I'm not gonna hurt him, but it looks like someone else already did that. I can help him though. We can get the doctor to look him over, Jack will fix him."

The green eyed man didn't reply and he didn't lower the gun as he stepped into the raft and knelt beside the injured man. "Sammy," he said quietly never taking his eyes off Charlie. "Come on Sam, time to wake up."

Sam's eyes fluttered open and then closed again. "Oh, no Sammy," Dean told him. You've had enough nap time, now come on, we need to get out of here before someone else comes.

"Too late," said a voice behind him, a voice that was quickly followed by the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked. "Drop the shotgun," said the same feminine voice.

Dean closed his eyes briefly contemplating his next move. He knew he could shoot the man in front of him long before the woman behind him got a shot off. He was getting ready to shoot and spin away from her when another voice, this one male and further away said, "Don't try it, you'll never get all of us."

Dean looked down at Sam and found him to be awake, his eyes wide as he looked behind Dean. Subtly he shook his head and Dean sighed. He trusted Sam. If Sam didn't think he'd be able to take both of them then he wouldn't. He lowered the barrel of the shotgun and the man he'd been pointing it at said, "You took your sodden time about it, didn't ya! I thought he was gonna shoot me before you got here Sayid."

_**A/N - Okay so does it sound like something I should continue? What's really scary about this story is that I actually have a synopsis for this story! I actually know where I'm going with it, I just don't know exactly how I'm gonna get there.**_


	2. Rock Salt

_Disclaimer: Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

_Okay... JuliaAurelia. Good question! The story takes place in the Lost storyline after Jack and Julia return to camp but before they get rescued. I'm going to be taking a few liberties with the Lost story, especially with Juilet and Ben's characters. _

_Yeah, I agree with all of y'all, Sawyer and Dean are going to be tough to write. _

**_Chapter Two:_**

The shotgun was taken from him and Dean turned to find himself face to face with a beautiful, dark haired woman. Behind her stood three more men, two of whom were also holding guns pointed in his direction. "Well," he said to the woman. "You've just turned this island into a paradise for me."

"Who are you?" she asked ignoring his comment as he handed the shotgun to the shaggy haired blonde guy standing to her right.

"I'm Justin Hayward, this is Ray Thomas," he told her pointing at Sam. "And you are?"

He turned at as he heard a snicker from behind him. The short British guy was trying hard to contain his laughter. He was failing miserably.

The brunette looked at the snickering man, "What's so funny, Charlie?"

"Justin Hayward and Ray Thomas are two members of The Moody Blues Kate," Charlie told her. "This is Dean," he said pointing to the green eyed man. "And this is Sam," he said indicating the man still lying in the raft. "They never said their last names."

Dean looked at Kate, smirked and shrugged. "Busted," he said with grin.

Jack had been watching the byplay between Kate and the newcomer but his main focus was on the man still in the raft. He caught glimpses of the laceration on the man's head through his unruly hair. If he was right the man was going to need stitches and it was very likely that he had a concussion or worse. He looked from Sam to Dean and said, "I'm going to check his head."

Dean stepped purposefully in front of Sam. "Like hell you are," he growled menacingly at the man who'd spoken. "You're not coming anywhere near him."

Sam struggled into a sitting position grabbing the side of the raft when the world spun crazily. "Dean," he said wearily. "It's okay."

"The hell it is, Sammy," he told his brother. "None of them are putting their hands on you."

"I'm not going to hurt him," Jack told Dean again taking another step in the direction of the raft. "I'm a Doctor. I just want to check his injury. It looks like it needs sutures."

When Jack moved closer Dean's stance changed perceptively going from relaxed caution to full alert in a heartbeat. He made ready to attack knowing the fight wasn't going to be an easy one unless he could get Kate or the Doctor and use them as a hostage and he had serious doubts about his ability to do that. But, if he could somehow hold onto one of them then he could still salvage the situation. Slowly, he reached behind his back for his Bowie knife. He wasn't sure how much good it would do him against them, but he had to try something.

"Jack stop," said the dark haired man who's voice Dean recognized as the one Charlie had called Sayid. "Drop it," he said to Dean.

"Drop what?" Dean asked innocently. A shot rang out before he'd even finished speaking the bullet kicking up sand between Dean's feet. He looked up at Sayid and practically snarled when the other man turned the gun on Sam.

"The next one gives the good doctor something else to fix on your friend," said Sayid. "Drop it… Now!"

"Dean," Sam told his brother. "I don't think they mean us any harm."

"I don't trust them Sam," Dean replied.

"Trust me, Dean," Sam said quietly. Dean looked at Sam questioningly. Sam nodded.

Dean sighed. "You better be right about this," he told his brother then turned to Jack and said, "If you hurt him, I will destroy you." He dropped the knife and raised his hands up in surrender.

As soon as the knife hit the ground Sayid and the shaggy haired blonde guy closed in on Dean and forced him away from the raft. "Sit down," Sayid told him after they'd moved a few yards away. "Keep your hands where I can see them."

Jack knelt down next to Sam and brushed his hair out of the way. "Sam, right?" he asked.

"Yeah," Sam told him. "And you're a doctor?"

Jack nodded, "A surgeon," he said, "At least I was, back home in LA."

"How'd you get here?" Sam asked as Jack checked his injury.

"We were on Oceanic Flight 815," he told Sam as he opened the bag he'd brought with him. He pulled out a bottle of water and a clean cloth. After wetting the cloth he was about to begin cleaning Sam's injury but stopped and said, "I'm afraid we don't have anything to dull the pain so this isn't going to be pleasant."

"I thought you were a doctor?" Dean said angrily from where he was sitting. "You're not even gonna use any antiseptic on that? It's going to get infected!" He attempted to stand and was shoved back down in the sand, hard.

"Sit down, Spike," the shaggy haired blonde said.

Dean glared up at him. "I was just getting the first aid kit from my duffle bag," he snarled at the man. "It's got antiseptic wipes in it."

"Go get it, Sawyer," Sayid told the shaggy haired guy.

Sawyer grinned down at Dean. "My pleasure." He walked over to the life raft and pulled out the duffle bag. Unzipping it he began to ruffle through it. He found the first aid kit, pulled it out and tossed it to Jack then began rifling through the rest of the contents of the bag. "What the hell?" he muttered as he pulled out a large tin of salt. He opened the tin and was about to pour some out into his palm when he was interrupted by Dean.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you," Dean said.

"Oh," Sawyer replied. "Why not? Let me guess it's not exactly salt in here is it? What is it some nose candy? You two planning on doing a bit of speedballing?" Sawyer opened the can and tipped the container intending to spill some into his hand.

"No," Dean said. "It's salt but I wouldn't…" Dean paled slightly as Sawyer poured the salt into his palm and tasted it. He looked at Sam who was also staring wide eyed at Sawyer.

Sawyer spit the salt out, "It doesn't taste right, it tastes nasty."

"Its rock salt," Dean said slightly dumbfounded.

"Sawyer," Sayid said clearly exasperated. "Are there any weapons in the bag? If there aren't then give him back the bag."

Sawyer dug around in the bag and pulled out Dean's favorite.45 and his 9mm. He also pulled out the three boxes of shells for the shotgun and a box of each for the two guns. "You always carry an arsenal around with you?" he asked putting Dean's 45 behind his back, tossed the 9mm to Kate and gave the shotgun shells to Sayid.

Dean glared at him as he was handed the considerably lighter bag, "I like to be prepared. It saves time when something creepy needs to be put down."

Jack was only half paying attention to the by-play between Dean and his captors. As usual, his attention was on the task at hand. He dug through the extensive first aid kit that Sawyer had tossed him. He found everything he'd need to clean and suture the wound on Sam's forehead, including high grade medical sutures, proper needles and a good supply of pain killers both over the counter and prescription. "This is a well stocked kit. You two expecting trouble?" he asked Sam.

"It seems to have a way of find us, so we like to be prepared," Sam told him.

"What happened?" Jacked asked indicating the wound he was cleaning.

"Our boat was getting tossed around pretty bad, I hit the rail on the ship before I went overboard," He replied.

"You know you have a concussion," Jack told him having already noted the difference in Sam's pupils.

"Yeah, but I don't think it's too serious," Sam told him.

Jack raised an eyebrow, "Why is that?"

"Because I'm awake and able to keep my eyes open," Sam replied.

Jack threaded the needle and was about to begin the sutures when Dean growled at him, "Use the Anbesol doc, that's what it's there for!"

"It dulls the pain just as good as any topical anesthetic," Sam explained with a nod.

"Something tells me this isn't the first time you've done this," Jack said.

"No," Sam told him.

"Make sure you make them small," Dean said. "I better not see any scarring or so help me I'll…"

"Dean!" Sam said exasperated.

"What?!" Dean asked raising his eyebrows at Sam.

Jack continued his work in silence until Sam asked, "So is everyone here?"

"Everyone who?" Jacked asked.

"Everyone from the plane, flight 815," Sam clarified.

"No," Jack told him. "Less then fifty of us survived the crash and some didn't...," Jack paused. "Some of them didn't make it and some are gone."

"Gone?" Sam asked. "Gone where?"

Jack didn't answer. Instead he asked, "What about your boat. How many more people were on it?"

"Six," Sam told him. "But the others were dead before we went overboard."

Sam grew silent as he remembered the final events on the boat.

_It was late or early depending on how you looked at it but Sam, due to the pitching of the boat, couldn't sleep. It was everything he could do not to lose his dinner. He'd tried reading but all that did was upset his stomach even more so he sat, in the dark and watched his brother sleep._

_Both he and Dean jumped up at the first scream. Both were armed before they'd stood up. They went to the door one on each side. Dean looked at Sam, waited for his brother's nod then opened the door and looked carefully around. He shook his head at Sam indicating he didn't see anything. Screams continued to sound, screams coming from more then one person._

_The brothers moved quickly but cautiously into and down the hall heading towards the screams as the boat continued to pitch. Within minutes they had reached the crew quarters but the screams had already ceased. They again took positions on each side of the door. This time it was Sam who opened the door and got the first glance inside. And now he wished he could forget._

"All done," Jack said bringing Sam back to their current situation. "Now… how about something to eat? They should be just about done with the boar they were cooking back at camp."

"Jack," Sayid cautioned. "Do you think that's a good idea? We don't know anything about these two."

"You have their weapons, Sayid," Jack said. "What can they do?"

"They could be with the others," Sawyer said.

"I've never seen them," Jack said. "But if they are, Juliet will know them."

"Yeah," Kate said. "But will she tell us?"

"She'll tell me," Jack said. "Let's go."

Jack and Kate walked in front of them, Sawyer and Sayid behind them with Charlie bringing up the rear. "You okay?" Dean asked as he walked beside his brother eyeing Jack's work critically.

"Yeah," Sam said. "But I think we're gonna have a problem here."

"You think?" Dean asked. "I trusted you Sam, you said they were okay."

"They are Dean," Sam said. "I know they are, but something's not right here. The salt."

"I know," Dean said as they rounded a turn of the beach and found themselves entering a camp. Makeshift tents and shelters dotted the area and a large table of logs alongside a shelf that held boxes of food took up a good portion of the center of the camp. Parts of the plane were in use everywhere.

Sam stopped suddenly and grabbed Dean's arm. "Dean," he said quietly. His eyes were wide as he stared at someone stepping out of a tent across the camp.

Dean turned to Sam then followed his line of sight to the person who had attracted his brother's attention. "What is she?" he asked.

**_A/N - Well... how's it sound so far? Come on... click that button and give me a review!_**


	3. Greatest Hits

_Disclaimer: Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

**Chapter Three:**

When they arrived Jack went immediately to Juliet. "Hey," he said attracting her attention. "I need your help with something."

"What is it?" she asked with a smile.

"We brought back two men we found washed up on shore in a life raft," Jack explained. "I need to know if you recognize them, if they're with Ben."

Juliet's smile faded and she looked around. Her face paled and her eyes grew wide as she spotted Sam and Dean. "That's not possible," she said quietly. "They can't be here."

"You know them?" Jack asked turning again to look at the men.

"No," she replied her eyes still riveted on the newcomers. "How did they get here? Where did they come from?"

"I don't know exactly," Jack told her. "They never really said. Why?"

"Because they don't belong here," she said. "It's impossible for anyone to find this island."

"Yeah well, I wouldn't put too much stock in that theory," Jack told her. "We found it too you know."

"That's different, they're…," Juliet paused, staring at Sam and Dean. "They shouldn't be here, on this island."

"Neither should we," Jack said becoming a bit frustrated as he realized Juliet was hiding something from him, something important. "That's why we've spent the last few months fighting to get off it!"

"I need to talk to them," Juliet told Jack suddenly. "Alone."

Jack's eyebrows rose. "No," he told her. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"I have to Jack," she said. "It's important."

Jack shook his head, "No. If you want to talk to them fine, but I'm going to be there when you do."

"What's wrong Jack," Juliet said in frustration. "Don't you trust me?"

"With most things yes," Jack replied. "But when you're hiding something from me, then no. It's obvious that there is something about these two that scares you and you don't want me to know what it is.

"Jack," Juliet said quietly.

"So, I'm not going to let you get anywhere near them without me," he continued as though she hadn't spoken.

"Jack," she said again.

"No," Jack told her. "If you want to talk to them we do it together."

"Fine," Juliet said and stormed off in the direction of the two men.

- - - - -

Dean turned to Sam then followed his line of sight to the person who had attracted his brother's attention. "What is she?" he asked.

"I don't know," Sam replied. "Maybe a…"

Dean rolled his eyes. "Don't say it," Dean told him. "There's no such thing. I told you that once."

"But Dean, come on…"

"No, Sam," Dean said firmly. "She's something else."

"Then what is she?" Sam asked.

"I don't know," Dean told him nodding towards Jack and the woman stalking towards them. "But I think we're about to find out."

The blonde stormed up to them. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Well hello to you too Parthenope," Dean replied ignoring her question.

"Parthenope?" Sam asked. "A siren?"

Dean shrugged. "It was the only thing I could think of," he told Sam. "The sirens have wings and she looks all aflutter about meeting us."

"I asked you a question," she demanded. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for dinner," Dean told her with a smirk. "Jack here invited us to the beach party you people are having."

Something smacked hard on the back of Dean's head causing him to stumble. "The lady asked you a question," Sayid said from behind him. "And I, for one, want to know the answer."

"Dean," Sam cautioned his brother.

"What?" Dean asked with wide eyed innocence.

Sayid knowing full well how to get answers from Dean pointed his gun at Sam. "I believe she asked you a question."

"That's the second time you threatened my brother today, Peeves. This is the last time I'm going to tell you, if you hurt him," Dean stated coldly. "I'm going to personally send you screaming into the fiery pits of hell."

"Sayid, no!" Juliet said forcefully. "Don't hurt them. We just need answers."

Sayid glanced at Juliet and in doing so took his eyes off of the brothers. Seeing an opening Sam slid up closer to Sayid stepping slightly to the side. With his right hand he knocked the Sayid's gun hand away from him, then grabbed it with his left hand and stepped in close spinning Sayid around in front of him and holding the confiscated gun to his head. He leaned in and breathed in Sayid's ear, "I think I've had enough of you pointing a gun at me today."

Dean grinned at his brother, nodding in acceptance of what was happening even as Kate and Sawyer raised their guns pointed them at Sam. He stepped in front of Sam making sure to stay far enough away that Sayid couldn't kick him but also in the direct line of fire from both Sawyer and Kate.

"That was fast Gigantor, real fast, but let him go now," Sawyer said to Sam his gun pointing at Dean. "Or we're going to see if you're faster then a speeding bullet when I unload my clip into your brother."

"Sam, don't do this," Jack said at the same time, his tone low and harder then either brother had heard him speak. He was reaching behind his back when Juliet stopped him, her hand resting gently on his wrist.

"Sawyer, Kate, put the guns down," Juliet asked softly. "Please."

Shock registered on Jacks face when both did as she asked without a word. Something he would never have expected. He realized too that there was silence around the camp. Everyone had stopped what they were doing and were now watching the scene play itself out. He had to do something to diffuse the situation. "Sam," he said quietly taking a step towards him hands raised palms out.

Sam looked around at the startled and scared faces of the people surrounding them and made a decision. He leaned down close to Sayid's ear and whispered, "Don't threaten me or my brother again. I know how to destroy you and I will do it if I have to." Then he removed the gun from Sayid's head, shoved him away and moved forward to stand side by side with Dean.

"That was a mistake, Sammy," Dean told him shaking his head.

"No it wasn't," he replied and held the gun out, grip first towards Jack. "We'll answer the questions that we can," he told Jack. "But there's some we don't know the answer to and you're going to have to accept that."

"Fair enough," Jack told him.

"So," Dean said looking around hopefully, "how about that supper?"

With the standoff over most of the people at the camp went back to what they were doing. "Come on," Jack said walking off a little further from the small crowd. "Let's sit down and talk."

They settled down in the sand closer to the beach. Sam and Dean sat next to each other with Jack and Juliet across from them. Kate, Sawyer, Sayid, Charlie, Jin and Hurley all stood or sat in a semi-circle around Jack and Juliet.

Charlie noticed Dean watching at him as soon as he sat down. The older man's stare was making him uncomfortable. "What?" he finally asked Dean.

"You're Charlie," Dean said.

"Yeah," Charlie replied.

"Charlie Pace, the Bass Player for Drive Shaft," Dean said matter of fact.

A grin split Charlie's face as he realized why Dean was staring. "Yeah, that's me."

"Dude, your new album is at the top of the charts!" Dean said.

"New album?" Charlie asked. "What new album?"

"The Greatest Hits of Drive Shaft," he said. "When the plane crashed and you died they made a big deal out of it. Played it up big, brought out a new album and all that. You know; the whole Richie Valens thing."

"But I'm not dead," Charlie said.

Sam and Dean looked at each other but before either could reply Juliet turned to Charlie and said, "It's been more then ninety days Charlie."

"So they gave up looking for us then?" Hurley asked.

Sam nodded, "About ten days after the plane went down they declared everyone on board dead," he told them.

"But we're not dead," Charlie replied.

"I don't know what to tell you Charlie," Sam said choosing his words carefully. "They didn't think anyone could have survived the crash."

"Look, we can straighten all that out once we get off this island, okay," Jack said. "Right now though, we need to find out how Sam and Dean got here."

"What difference does it make how the Solomon brothers got here?" Sawyer asked sarcastically. "We want to get off the island, not on it."

"If we can figure out how they got here we might be able to find a way off," Juliet told him.

"So," Jack asked Dean. "How'd it happen?"

"We were hired by someone to help take care of a… problem on a boat," Dean said.

"What problem?" Charlie asked as several of the other camp member brought food and water over to the brothers.

"That doesn't really matter," Sam told him. "What matters is that we never made it where we were going."

"Why not?" Sayid asked.

"We hit a storm," Dean replied as he dug into the plate of mixed fruits and what looked like ham. "The captain decided to try and go around it. I guess it didn't work. We hit something or something hit us and the boat started taking on water."

"What about the other people on the boat?" Jack asked.

Dean grew silent as recalled the state of the crew quarters before they left the sinking boat. "They didn't make it," he replied.

"We got topside but the waves were crashing over the boat hard," Sam said putting his hand to his bandaged head. "I hit the rail and was thrown overboard."

"I got him in the raft and we ended up here," Dean said.

"How long were you on the raft?" Juliet asked.

"Since last night," Dean replied.

"Well," Sawyer said standing up. "Interesting as this sounds I don't think it's gonna help us get off this island. He turned and walked away stopping at his shelter, sitting in the seat and picking up his book. The conversation turned to the people on the island and interest in the conversation slow waned. The others slowly started trickling away until only Jack and Juliet were left.

It was late, most of the other people in camp were already asleep when Jack stood and left them alone with Juliet. She waited until Jack was in his tent then turned to Dean and said, "You should not be on this island."

"Yeah, I think we got that," Dean said sarcastically. "But we are, now how do we get off."

"You don't," she replied. "There's only one way off this island, but you can not take it."

"Why not?" Dean asked.

"Because you are mortal," Juliet told him. "Mortals are not supposed to be able to find this island."

"Where are we?" Sam asked suddenly.

Juliet sighed, "Someplace you are not supposed to be."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yeah, we get that," he told her. "But that doesn't answer my question."

"That's something I can't tell you,"

"They don't know what they are do they," Sam asked.

"No," Juliet replied simply.

"But you do?" Dean asked.

Juliet looked around the campsite. "They're heroes," she replied. "The fate of the world will one day rest on their shoulders."

_**A/N - Sorry it took so long to post this chapter, I didn't get to work on it as much as I wanted to but it's up now so come on... click that button and give me a review!**_


	4. Needs

_Disclaimer: Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

_A/N - To the thirty or so people who read the last chapter when I first posted it the other day. I appologise. I posted that chapter when I completed it and was half asleep. I woke at 3:30 the next morning and realized I'd made a huge mistake in giving away too much too soon and immediately altered that chapter. So... 30 of you know where I'm going with this story and by the end of this chapter some more of you may be able to figure it out. I hope not because I prefer to keep my readers in the dark for as long as possible, it builds the suspense. So, if you're one of the 30 check out the last few paragraphes from the last chapter to catch up on the changes. -- once again. Sorry to those of you I spoiled!_

**Chapter Four:**

John Locke trekked silently through the jungle. His thoughts drifted to the island and the mysterious way it always seemed to provide what was needed. This island is special, that much he knew. He wished he knew more but then again sometimes information can be a dangerous thing.

He had no idea how his father had come to be on the island but he knew in his heart that Ben and Richard were right. He could not continue his journey until his father was gone. The trouble was he could not bring himself to do it. Even after all his father had done to him he could not just kill him.

Interestingly enough the island knew. It knew that Locke would not be able to kill his own father so it again provided what was needed. There was a person who wanted his father dead badly enough to kill him and that person was on this island too. Who would have known that Sawyer too had a history with his father? He wondered briefly how many of the other survivors were connected in ways they didn't yet know.

He pushed through the jungle coming out onto the sandy shoreline just south of the campsite. Rounding the bend he looked around the camp noticed two men he didn't recognize sitting with Juliet and having a quiet discussion. He approached silently coming up behind the men and listening to the conversation as he did.

"We need to find out how you came to be on this island," Juliet said.

"Why is that important?" Dean asked.

"Because you're not…" Juliet started to say.

"Supposed to be here," Sam finished for her. "Yeah we get that what difference does it make now? We're here. Why is it so important to you that we not be here?"

"Because you can never leave," she said. "This island is dangerous for you."

"Yeah, well," Dean said. "We've been in danger before. It doesn't really bother us much."

Juliet shook her head. "Why not?"

"Because some people don't fear the unknown," Locke said quietly from behind Sam and Dean.

The brothers rolled away from each other coming up one on each side of Locke in fighters' stances ready to take on the enemy behind them. It was a practiced move that Locke would guess has saved them on more then one occasion.

"John," Juliet said. "I thought you were with Ben?"

"I was but there's something I needed from camp," he told her.

"What?" she asked.

"Something to help me convince Ben that I can be trusted," he told her.

"Who's Ben?" Dean asked.

"At the moment, Ben is someone else who doesn't belong here," Juliet told them.

"Well goodie," Dean said. "You should have brought him here so he could join the party."

Juliet's eyes grew wide at the thought. "No," she told them. "He must not know you are here. He would kill you."

"We're not that easy to kill, but let me get this straight," Dean said. "We're not supposed to be here and he's not supposed to be here either."

Juliet nodded. "That's right."

"So how is it that we're all here," he asked. "On this island that nobody is supposed to be able to find?"

"I don't know," Juliet said frustrated. "I don't have all the answers!"

"Then maybe you're asking the wrong questions," Locke said.

"What?" Juliet asked.

"This island is… special." Locke told them. "It has a way of providing the things that we need. Instead of asking how these two got here. Maybe you should be asking why they are here."

Juliet stood starring at John in stunned silence. The thought that the Island had brought them here had never occurred to her. She turned to the brothers and asked, "Who are you?"

"I thought we already established that?" Dean said waving his hand between himself and his brother. "Sam and Dean, remember?"

"That's not what I mean," she said. "I meant who are you, as in why would the island need you?"

"The island?" Dean asked then looked her up and down shaking his head. "Lady… or whatever you are… how could an island bring us anywhere?"

"This island seems to have a will of its own," Locke answered for Juliet. "But listen, interesting as all this is, I still need to get what I came for." He turned to leave.

Sam's head tilted sideways curiously. "Wait," he said.

"I don't have time," Locke said. "If you want to talk to me, you'll have to do it while we walk."

Dean watched Sam turn to follow him John. "Sam, wait," he said.

"I'll be right back," Sam replied.

"You see me," Juliet said to Dean obviously stunned.

Dean turned back to Juliet. "We've been talking to you for the past couple of hours. I think it's a given that we see you."

"No," she said. "I mean you see _me_."

Dean watched as she slowly extended her wings. "Yes," he told her. "I see you."

"That's not possible," she said.

"You know," Dean said reaching his hand out to tentatively touch her wing. "I'm getting tired of hearing that."

Juliet moaned quietly as Dean's hand stroked down her wing. The soft sensitive down feathers running along the ridge bone sent lighting strikes of pleasure running though her entire body. She pulled her wing away from him. "Don't," she said.

Dean looked into her eyes, "Why not?" he asked smirking. "If it's good for you, it'll be good for me too." He watched her pull her wings in tight to her body which only attracted his attention to the rest of her. He didn't know what she was but he liked what he saw. She had the awesome hourglass figure that made him hot just looking at her, but what really interested him was her attire. It was almost as if she were ready to fight some epic battle. He reached out again, this time touching her waist or more specifically the armor covering her waist. It was hard, but it seemed to fit her so well it looked more like it was a part of her then something she was wearing.

Juliet stepped back away from Dean. He knew what she was. No, he could see her real form but she doubted that he knew what she really was. Very few people would know what she was. Most would think her an angel if they saw her true form. His words came back to her_ … or whatever you are… _he knew she wasn't an angel but did he knew what she was? No. She doubted it because if he knew that, then he would be able to figure out everything else.

Dean stepped closer his hand moving up her body. He reached out with his other hand gently cupping the side of her face pulling her closer to him. "I won't hurt you," he told her just before he captured her lips with his own kissing her thoroughly.

She melted into him, her knees weakening at he deepened the kiss. Thought left her as his other hand reached back and stroked her wing. She had no idea how long the kiss lasted. She felt weak by the time he released her as though he had drained all the energy from her. She pushed him away from her and ran back to her tent. She turned and looked at him one last time before disappearing inside.

Dean watched her go a smile playing across his face.

"What was that all about?" Sam asked returning.

"A test," Dean said.

"A test?" Sam replied scoffing. "Did she pass?"

"Yes," Dean told him.

Sam gave his brother a look and rolled his eyes.

"She's not evil," Dean told Sam.

"How do you know that?" Sam asked.

"I've kissed evil before, Sam," Dean replied. "Trust me, she's not evil."

"Then she is an angel," Sam said awed.

"No," Dean told him. "She's something else."

"What?" Sam asked.

"I don't know yet," Dean told him. "But if we find out what she is, maybe we'll find out where we are and how we get off this island."


	5. The Journey Begins

_Disclaimer: Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

_Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! Special thanks to **Pandora Jazz** for your wonderful review of not just this story but several of my others too. It is such a wonderful complement to have me down as an author alert. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed and all those still reading!_

**Chapter Five:**

The brothers were alone on the beach now. Most of the other people in camp were in their shelters probably asleep.

"So did you learn anything from John?" Dean asked his brother as they walked down the beach closer to the shoreline.

"Not really," Sam told him. "He told me we wouldn't get the answers we needed here. He said we needed to find the island's heart."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Dean asked.

"I have no idea," Sam said. "But I think he's right about one thing."

"What's that?" Dean asked.

"We can't stay here," his brother replied. "The longer we stay with them, the more chance there is that one of us is going to slip and say something we shouldn't." The stopped walking and sank down onto the sand watching the waves crash gently onto the beach. "I gotta be honest Dean," Sam said still looking out over the ocean. "The salt issue is kind of freaking me out."

"I know," Dean turned to Sam a little surprised by his brother's admission. "But I still want my guns back. I'm not trekking around this island without some protection."

"Yeah," Sam told him reaching behind his back and pulling Dean's favorite .45 out. "I figured that." Dean raised an eyebrow in question as he took the gun from Sam. "John came to get Sawyer," Sam replied. "I snaked it from him while they talked."

Dean grinned at his brother. "There's hope for you yet Sammy," he said. "Try and get some sleep. We'll leave a couple of hours before sunrise."

Sam nodded and said. "Wake me in two hours. I'll keep watch and you can get some sleep too." Sam looked at his brother and waited but when Dean did not reply. "Dean."

"Fine," Dean said turning to look at Sam. "Two hours."

"If you don't wake me Dean we're staying another day," Sam threatened.

Dean rolled his eyes, "Alright already, I got it," he said turning back to the ocean. "Two hours."

Sam lay down on his back crossing his arms under his head for a pillow. "Hey Dean," he said.

"Yeah?" Dean asked.

"We're not dead are we?"

Dean didn't laugh at Sam's question. He'd been bothered by the same thought ever since the salt issue came up, but there was no way in hell he was going to let Sam know that. "No Sammy," he told his brother. "We're not dead." He didn't add that the only reason he didn't think so was because they were still together. If they were dead then he'd be in hell and Sammy wouldn't.

Sam nodded trusting that his brother was correct. If Dean said they weren't dead, then they weren't. He closed his eyes and with his brother sitting beside him, protecting him, he was asleep within minutes.

It seemed like Dean had just closed his eyes when Sam shook him awake. "Come on Dean," Sam said. "Time to go."

Dean ran his hand over his face as he sat up. "One of these nights I'm going to get a full eight hours," Dean muttered.

Sam grinned, "Dean, the last time you had eight hours of sleep you were in a coma."

"Smart ass," his brother replied. "You take Kate's tent, get your gun, I'll get the shotgun from Sayid."

Sam tossed Dean their duffle bag. "No need," he said. "They're already in the bag."

Catching the bag Dean looked sharply at his brother, "Any trouble?"

"Not really," Sam replied. "Kate never woke up."

"And Sayid?" Dean asked.

"Duct tape works," Sam replied.

Dean grinned slapping his brother on his back, "I hope you tweaked his nose for me, Sammy!"

Sam grinned as he recalled doing exactly that.

Sayid who was bound and gagged had glared daggers at Sam for doing it until he told the older man, "You're lucky it was me and not Dean that came for the gun. My brother's parting shot would have been delivered with a fist."

Sam nodded at Dean. "I did," he confirmed.

Shouldering the bag Dean turned and headed down the beach. Once they were well past the camp site the brothers turned into the forest and headed for the center of the island.

- - - -

Ben had been engrossed in a book until the commotion outside his tent caught his attention. He grabbed his cane and made his way to the tents' exit as quickly as his injury would allow. Several of his men were escorting someone to his tent. However, judging by how much the man was struggling he had no desire to meet Ben. The man was good too. Even with his hands tied behind his back he was inflicting some serious damage to his captors. Several of Ben's men had bloody noses and one had a serious shiner.

"Let him go," Ben said just loud enough to be heard. The man shrugged off those holding him and stood up straight and turned to face Ben. Ben's eyes widened in surprise and perhaps a little fear. Of all the people he expected to see here. He was not one of them. "Leave us," he told his people.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Ben, John," he replied as his people left them alone.

Surprise flickered briefly across John's. "We've met before?" he asked.

"Oh yes," Ben told him. "We've certainly encountered one another before." He lifted the flap of the tent and said, "Why don't you come in so we can catch up on old times."

Warning bells were going off in John's head and he knew, without a doubt that Ben was not what he appeared to be. "I think it would be better if we talked out here," he told Ben.

"Why John," Ben said. "It sounds like you don't trust me."

"Let's just say I like to play it safe," John told him looking around the camp at the people going about normal camp business. "I'd prefer to have a few witnesses to whatever you have to say to me."

"These are my people," Ben told him. "What makes you think they would be of any help to you?"

Instead of answering John posed a question of his own. "Why do you use a cane?" he asked. "What happened?"

"Nothing that couldn't be fixed," Ben told him.

"Huh," John replied. "I wouldn't call a cancerous tumor nothing. After all, you did have to kidnap Jack to remove it."

"How did you find out?" Ben asked.

Ignoring Ben's question again John continued as though Ben had not spoken. "And here I thought it was impossible to get cancer on this island," he said. "In fact as I understand it, this island speeds recovery of all injuries doesn't it. So why didn't it heal you?"

"Where are you getting your information?" Ben asked.

John shrugged. "I hear things," he said.

Ben glanced around the camp until his eyes came to rest on Richard. He knew that Richard was doing everything he could to displace him. It's why they were all taking this little journey to the Temple. Once there he would put to rest all doubts about his leadership. Once there everyone would follow him regardless of what Richard or anyone else said against him and if they didn't, well then they wouldn't have to worry about the problems of the island anymore.

Ben motioned for one of his more trusted men to come to him. When he arrived they spoke quietly for a few moments before Ben turned to enter his tent. "This is Tom," Ben told John. "He's going to see to your needs."

"What's the matter Ben," John asked. "Can't kill me yourself?"

Ben turned back to John. "I don't want you dead John," he told his captive. "Dead you would eventually cause me more trouble your worth. I don't know how you ended up getting away from your last captor, but it would seem that you are now my problem."

"Sorry to be such a burden," John replied. "I guess I just don't like to be confined."

Ben laughed at John's remark. "Well then," he told John. "Enjoy your new quarters."

John was about to reply when he was struck from behind by what passed for a taser. Darkness settled over him as a hood was placed over his head and he was dragged away. 

**A/N - I know, I know! Not too many answers yet, but I promise I'm working up to the one chapter that will answer all, or most of your questions. Now that the boys have begun their journey things will be moving along quickly and answers will be forthcoming. I promise. Now... how about clicking that lil' button and giving me a review to let me know how you think I'm doing.** _Hint: The more review I get the faster I tend to post._


	6. Attack!

_Disclaimer: Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

**Chapter Six:**

"Where are you Sam?" Dean asked his brother as he trudged through the dense forest.

Sam, who was only a few yards behind him but lost in thought, didn't answer.  
"Sam!" Dean said a little louder.

"What?" Sam asked startled.

"I said, where are you?" Dean repeated. "You're like a million miles away dude."

"I've been thinking," he said, his tone quite and reserved.

"This can't be good," Dean muttered to himself. Then out loud he asked, "Care to share with the rest of the class?"

"I think I know where we are," Sam told him. He hesitated, knowing his brother wasn't going to like the answer.

Dean turned his eyebrows raised in question. "And are you planning on sharing that tidbit of information with me anytime soon?"

Sam sighed. "You won't like it," he said. The look Dean gave him in reply was enough to make him continue. "I'm pretty sure we're in purgatory."

"No," Dean told him shaking his head.

"Dean…,"

"No, Sammy," Dean said forcefully. "The only way we could be in purgatory is if we were dead. And WE ARE NOT DEAD."

"Why are you so sure?" Sam asked.

"Because I would not be in purgatory if I were dead Sam," Dean told him. "I'd be in hell. The Crossroad Demon would have made sure of it."

"No," Sam told him. "If we're dead, then she couldn't have taken you."

Dean ran his hand down his face. "Sam look…"

"No Dean, listen," Sam interrupted his brother. "If we are dead then the deal is broken and she can't take you." Sam paused allowing that to sink in. "A year, Dean. She gave you a year with me. If you or I die before the year is up then she can't live up to her end of the bargain and the deal is broken."

Dean looked at Sam in stunned silence. "But…"

Sam just shook his head. There were no buts. It all added up. He'd spent the past six hours of their hike trying to refute his theory but so far he'd not been able to come up with any other plausible explanation for the island and its inhabitants. "Dean, we're on an island full of people we know are dead. With a woman who looks like an angel and has wings, the wings to prove it. She's like a guiding angel. Where else can we be?"

"I don't know Sam," Dean told his brother. "But we are not dead."

Sam shook his head at his brother. "Why are you so sure we're not?"

"Because I don't feel dead!" Dean said.

"Yeah," Sam said smartly. "Because we have so much experience in what it would feel like to be dead!"

"We're not dead smart ass!" Dean said turning and picking up the trail again.

"Why?" Sam asked hoping his brother had some kind of evidence to prove it.

"Because I said so!" Dean said stomping off in the direction they'd been going.

Sam rolled his eyes but kept his mouth shut.

Two hours later Dean hadn't spoken more then two words together to Sam. His replies, to the few questions Sam had asked were single word answers. That is, when he bothered to reply at all. So when he stopped suddenly at the edge of a brook, dropped the duffle bag and asked, "I don't suppose you packed a couple of cheeseburgers and fries?"

"No," Sam said sitting on a boulder next to Dean. "But there's some jerky and some kind of flat bread in the duffle bag."

A smile lit Dean's face as he opened the bag and started rifling through it. He pulled out the small bag containing the jerky and the flat bread then looked up at Sam as he pulled out another bag. "Potato Chips?" he asked. "Where did you get potato chips on a deserted island?"

"They had a whole pantry of food set up in the cook area. I found it there along with a few other things I thought you'd like."

Dean dug around in the bag some more and pulled out a pair of candy bars. "Why is everything labeled 'Darhma'?" he asked looking at the labels. "What's Darhma?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "But it's food."

"Maybe you're right Sammy," Dean told his brother with a grin as he opened the chips and stuffed some into his mouth. "Maybe we are dead," he continued though his mouth was full. "This stuff… heaven, Sammy. Heaven."

Sam smiled happy that he'd been able to ease his brother's fears even for just a few minutes. They ate in silence, Sam leaving the chips and candy to Dean and supplementing his Jerky with several different fruits he'd found along their trail. When they were done they refilled their water bottles in the stream and were about to head out again when the constant noises of the bugs, birds and other forest creatures suddenly stopped leaving an unnatural silence.

The brother's looked at each other. Dean motioned Sam off to the left while he went to the right. They slipped silently into the shadow's blending into the forest around them and waiting for whoever was coming. They'd left the duffle sitting in plain site, a trap for their pursuer.

Sam stood quietly hidden in the foliage of the tree he stood beside. His eyes were closed as he concentrated on the sounds around him. Finally he heard it, the quiet whisper of footsteps. Someone was trying very hard to advance undetected. He listened closer. Correction, two people were advancing cautiously towards the creek. Sam made eye contact with Dean, silently signaled two intruders and the direction they were coming from.

As quietly as possible Dean pulled the trigger back on the shotgun and moved into a better position to cover the area they were expecting company from. Sam did likewise with his semi-automatic .45.

Kate and Sayid walked cautiously into the open. They were barely out of the dense foliage when Kate spotted the duffle bag, stopped and muttered, "Shit."

Dean stepped out, shotgun raised and in full view of the Kate and Sayid. "Sammy," he said. "I told you Katie had a thing for me."

"Yeah," Sam replied. "But it's usually the girls' father that comes after you with a gun Dean, not the girl."

"Drop the weapons sweetheart," Dean said to Kate. "You too Sayid."

Before either could reply a loud whining growl sounded from the direction the brothers had been headed. It was followed almost immediately by an explosion of dirt that sent a geyser of earth into the sky just beyond the tree line on the opposite side of the creek.

All four of them jumped back raising their weapons in the direction of the sound. Dean turned to Kate, "What the hell is that?" he asked as all four of them backed up away from the trees that were now swaying wildly.

"A monster," replied Kate as she turned and took off at a dead run away from the approaching horror. "Run!" she shouted over her shoulder.

Sayid turned and followed Kate. Sam and Dean watched them go backing away at a more controlled pace, their guns up and pointed in the direction of whatever was approaching.

Dean's eyes widened and he glanced sharply at Sam at the tree's were breached and the creature approached. The thick black smoke billowed as it approached then broke off into two thick tendrils. One dove straight at Sam. Dean lifted the shotgun higher and pulled the trigger. The creature reaching for Sam screeched darkly and fled.

Dean didn't have time to change his aim as he was struck by the other tendril with enough force to send him plowing backwards into the trunk of a thick tree. The shotgun flew from his grasp as his back slammed into the hard wood and if it weren't for the dark smoky creature that swirled around him Dean was sure he'd have slid down the trunk in a heap.

Sam saw Dean take the hit, he saw the shotgun tossed aside and he saw his brother slam bodily into the tree. Before he could get to the gun the second dark creature returned cutting him off from both his brother and the gun. Sam felt a burning chill on his chest as the creature surrounded him and he knew what the creature was trying to do.

Two shotgun blasts rent the air and the creature left him with a suddenness that knocked him to the ground. He rolled away from the smoky creature and came up on his knees in time to see it wrap around Sayid's waist, pick him up and smash him into a tree. The shotgun fell again as the creature repeatedly slammed the now defenseless man into nearby tree's and boulders.

The shotgun blasted again, the creature screamed and Sayid fell to the ground unconscious. Sam looked at Kate and yelled, "Kate, Dean! Get him into the banyan tree! Take him into the ring of the tree it will protect him!" Sam stood up to his full hight, faced the two dark swirling masses and shouted, "Cristo!"

"Sam no!" Dean shouted. "Come on."

"Get Sayid and Kate to safety," Sam demanded. "I'll be right behind you."

"Sam!" Dean shouted trying to get his stubborn brother to listen. But as usual Sam refused to be swayed and as Sam began the Latin ritual Dean picked up Sayid and carried him to the safety of the Banyan tree.

_"Genitus , Diabolus,"_ Sam said forcefully as he began the Latin exorcism. _"inventor quod vinco of totus furta , hostilis of man's salus. Tribuo locus ut Sarcalogos in Quos vos have instituo nullus of vestri officina ; tribuo locus ut Unus…"_

He wasn't even halfway done before the two smokey creatures gave a final horrifying scream and fled into the forest.

Kate watched in amazement as the black smoke sped away. "How'd he do that?" She asked Dean who was trying to stop the blood that flowed freely from the side of Sayid's head.

Dean didn't even look up from what he was doing when he replied, "That's not the first demon we've faced."

**A/N - Okay... How'm I doing so far? Click it and let me know... I need my virtual cookies!**


	7. Help

_Disclaimer: Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

**Chapter Seven:**

Dean didn't even look up from what he was doing when he replied, "That's not the first demon we've faced."

"What?" Kate asked in shocked amazement. "What did you say?"

"I said it's not the first demon we've faced," Dean told her. "I need my duffle bag, Kate." He continued to assess Sayid's injuries holding pressure on the worst of the lacerations in order to stop the flow of blood. When Kate didn't move and failed to respond he turned to her and smacked her on her bottom with his free hand. "Wake up sweet cheeks!" he told her. "My duffle bag, I need it, now!"

Started by the smack Kate moved, running from the protection of the tree to where she could see Dean's duffle bag on lying on a boulder. It wasn't until she was racing back with the bag in hand that she thought to be bothered by the way Dean got her attention. He would pay for that one she decided. But not yet, first he had to fix Sayid.

Sam was already at the tree when she returned. He and Dean had lifted Sayid carefully from the ring of trees and set him on the grass giving Dean better access to his injuries.

She dropped the bag at Dean's side and Sam immediately opened it and began rumaging through it. He pulled out the smaller bag within that Kate recognized as their first aid kit. "Is he going to be okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," Dean told her. "It's just a few scratches."

Kate watched him work. The intensity of his actions reminded her of Jack, though he didn't show the tenderness that Jack showed when he worked on the injured. It took a minute for her to realize he was speaking quietly to himself, keeping up a running commentary of Sayid's injuries. As she listened she realized he had seriously understated Sayid's condition. Her suspicions were confirmed when Dean spoke next.

"Sam," he asked his brother. "Do you remember how to get back to their camp."

"Yeah," Sam told him.

"Go get Jack," Dean told him.

Sam nodded and stood up. He handed the shotgun to Kate and pulled a few shells out of his pocket handing those to her as well. "If it comes back. Shoot it with this," he told her. "It'll give Dean time to get him into the safety of the center of the tree."

Kate looked at the shells Sam handed her. "What are these?" she asked staring at the white shells.  
"Rock Salt," he replied. "It doesn't work as well as holy water, but it'll slow them down enough for you to get to safety.

"Sometime today Sam," Dean said without looking up. "Hurry."

"I'll be back," Sam said as he reached down picked up a water bottle.

Sam was about to leave when Dean called him. "Sam," he said, this time looking up and meeting his brother's eyes. "Be careful."

Sam nodded then without further comment ran back the way they'd come.

- - - - -

"Jack wake up," Charlie said.

Jack rolled over with a barely concealed groan. One of these nights he was going to get a full eight hours of sleep. He sighed as he sat up and put on his shoes. "What is it Charlie?" he asked.

"They're gone," Charlie told him.

"Who's gone?" Jack asked confused.

"Sam and Dean," Charlie replied.

Jack ran a palm over his face. "So?" he asked.

"Shouldn't we go after them?" Charlie asked. "Bring them back."

"Why?" Jack asked stepping out of the shelter to find Charlie and Clair standing beside it. "Who are we to tell them they can't leave?"

"Charlie's right," Juliet said coming around the corner of Jack's shelter. "We need to bring them back."

"No," Jack said shaking his head as he headed for the pantry and kitchen area of camp.

"They don't know about that thing out there, Jack," Charlie said. "We should have warned them about it."

"We didn't know they would leave in the middle of the night," Jack replied.

"Well," Clair said. "Maybe if we hadn't treated them so poorly they wouldn't have left. I mean, did Sayid have to keep threatening Sam?"

"Look," Jack said putting together a plate of fruit. "It's done, they're gone. Just leave it. We have too many other problems to worry about right now."

"Yeah," Hurley said coming up to the small group with Jinn and Sun. "Like where are Kate, Sawyer and Sayid?"

"Sawyer went with John last night," Clair said. "I don't know about Kate and Sayid."

"John came back?" Juliet asked surprised.

"Yes, late last night," Clair replied. "I saw him talking to Sam and Dean. Then he and Sawyer left." She looked down at Aaron. "Aaron was a little fussy. I was trying to get him back to sleep."

"Yeah, well that doesn't explain this," Hurley said holding up pieces of duct tape. "I found them in Sayid's bed. There's more of it in there, enough to tie someone up."

Jack took the tape, looked at it then passed it to Juliet. "Someone tied him up with duct tape?" Charlie asked. "Why?"

Jack was about to reply when Sun pointed down the beach. "Jack," she said. "Look."

Sam had just rounded the turn of the beach at a dead run. He was sweat soaked and tired practically staggering the last few strides to the group.

"What'd you do with Kate and Sayid?" Charlie asked. "Where are they?"

"Jack," Sam gasped leaning heavily on the table and ignoring Charlie.

Jack reached over, grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to Sam. Sam drank it thankfully "Sayid's hurt," Sam told Jack after he drained the bottle. "Dean's working on him but…," Sam looked around at the angry faces. "It's bad, he needs your help."

Pandemonium erupted with everyone trying to talk at once. "Quiet!" Jack shouted above the din. When silence again prevailed Jack asked, "What happened?"

"We were attacked by…," Sam wasn't sure how much to tell them. "…something."

"The monster," Charlie said awed.

A curious look crossed over Sam's face as he realized they knew that something was out there. "Yeah," he said without clarifying further. "It got Sayid. We were able to stop it from killing him but he's hurt bad. Dean's afraid to move him."

"Juliet, Hurley, Sun, Jinn," Jack said. "We leave in ten minutes. Claire get Sam something to eat and make sure he drinks some juice."

Sam rolled his eyes at Jack and was about to say something but Jack cut him off. "How far away?"

Sam looked at his watched, "It took me two hours to get here."

"And you can find your way back?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Sam replied.

Jack nodded. "Eat," Jack told him before leaving to gather his supplies. "I don't want you passing out on the way back. We need you to find them again and besides, I wouldn't want to be the one to have to tell your brother that something happened to you."

Sam was just finishing the plate of food that Claire had presented him with when Jack returned. "We won't be moving as fast as you did," Jack told him. "But we'll be moving pretty quick. Do you think you can keep up?"

"I'll keep up," Sam told him as the other four returned.

"You ready?" Jack asked the group. They all nodded.

Claire came up and handed Sam a pack. "Its food and water," she said.

"Thank you," he said taking the pack and without another word he headed off down the beach in the direction he'd come. With Jack, Juliet, Hurley, Sun and Jinn following he set a brisk pace. They walked in near silence for the first thirty minutes.

"What happened Sam," Jack asked, "when it attacked? So far every time it attacked it killed someone."

"How?" Sam asked confused.

"I've never seen it," Jack said. "But I've seen what it can do. It batters them."

"It picked him up and slammed him against a tree," he said. "We were able to make it drop him, but we weren't fast enough."

"You fought it?" Jack asked incredulously.

"We didn't have much of a choice," Sam said. "It surprised us. We didn't have time to do anything else."

Juliet grabbed Sam's arm and pulled him to a stop. "You know what it is," she said.

Sam looked around at the other people in the group, then back at Juliet before replying. "Yes," he told her.

"What is it?" Jack asked.

Sam sighed. "It's…," he started then shook his head. "They… are demons."

"Excuse me?" Jack said.

"Demons?" Hurley asked.

"Oh God," Sun said then translated for Jinn.

"You and your brother," Juliet said in shocked amazement. "You're hunters."

"We have to go," Sam said to the group. "Believe or don't believe. It's up to you, but what I said is true."

"A demon," Jack said. "I guess that's as good a name for it as anything else. Let's go. We need to keep moving."

**A/N - Alright y'all, I took almost two days off between the last chapter and this one but I'm off tomorrow so I'll try and do another one tomorrow. For now... don't forget to hit that button and give me a review. **

**Also for those of you interested in the exorcism ritual I used in the last chapter. Here's the entire ritual in Latin and it's english translation: **

_Genitus , Diabolus , inventor quod vinco of totus furta , hostilis of man's salus. Tribuo locus ut Sarcalogos in Quos vos have instituo nullus of vestri officina ; tribuo locus ut Unus , Sanctus Senior , Deus of Populus. Subsisto decipio humanus creatura quod fluo sicco sibimet virus of eternus damnation EGO iacio vos sicco quod redimio vos in bottomless vorago of abyssus! _

_Translation: Begone, Satan, inventor and master of all deceit, enemy of man's salvation. Give place to Christ in Whom you have found none of your works; give place to the One, Holy Lord, the God of Hosts. Stop deceiving human creatures and pouring out to them the poison of eternal damnation I cast you out and bind you into the bottomless pit of hell! _


	8. Who ya gonna call?

_Disclaimer: Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

**Chapter Eight:**

John returned to awareness with a pounding ache in his skull. Silently and without moving he assessed his situation. The blindfold was still in place and his hands were still bound. His left shoulder ached from the taser blast he'd taken but other then that he was fine. He startled slightly when something heavy hit the ground close to where he lay.

"Sorry Tom," he heard Richard say quietly. "But I can't let you take him to the well."

Someone moved closer to John. "John," Richard said. "It's Richard. I'm going to help you sit up and remove the blindfold."

Strong sturdy hands gripped John's shoulders and he was shifted into a sitting position. The blindfold was removed and John found himself face to face with Richard. "What took you so long?" John asked.

Richard rolled his eyes as he untied John's arms. "I can't let the others know I freed you. I have to stay with them and the only way for me to do that is to make sure they don't suspect me."

John rubbed his wrists his gaze falling to Tom's prone form. "What about him?" John asked.

"He won't know who hit him," Richard replied. "He never saw me."

John nodded and stood up swaying slightly as he did. "You know what Ben is," John said.

"Yes," Richard told him. "But I can't be the one to take him down. It's forbidden."

"Why?" John asked. "He's doing too much damage to the island. I can feel the island's pain."

Richard looked at John with a sad smile. "You are truly one of our most gifted," he said.

"It's not a gift," John said. "It's experience. As many times as I've been here of course I'm going to start picking up on things. I just wish I could remember the island when I leave it."

"That's…," Richard started to say but was interrupted by John.

"Forbidden," John said for him. "I know but it would make things a damn sight easier if everyone remembered what happened when they were here."

"They will, eventually," Richard told him. "You do."

"Yeah, but how many times have I been here?" John asked. "And I'll forget it when I'm gone." He was silent for a few minutes then looked up and met Richard's eyes. "It's coming you know. Sooner then everyone thinks. I don't know how much more time everyone has to learn what the island has to teach them."

"It will be enough," Richard told John. "But we need to get rid of the intruders and we need to free Jacob. Without Jacob we will not win."

"I'm going to find Jacob. I'll get him back," John told him. "You keep an eye on Ben and Richard… Be careful." John turned and faded into the woods.

Richard watched him go before slipping off back to his tent. It wouldn't do for any of Ben's people to find him here.

- - - - -

Dean placed the last stitch in the laceration on Sayid's head. He lifted the man's eyelid and watched for any reaction to the light but wasn't surprised when the other man's pupil didn't react. Just to be sure he pulled out his flashlight and shown it briefly into Sayid's eye with the same result. He lifted the other lid and repeated the process nodding to himself when the pupil shrank to a mere pinprick.

"Definitely a concussion," he muttered to himself.

"Is that why you sent Sam for Jack?" Kate asked pulling out a water bottle and handing it to Dean.

"No," Dean replied before taking a drink. "He has some internal injuries, I can't fix those. Stitches, bandages, fevers I can handle even broken bones and bullet wounds if they're not in any vital areas, but internal injuries I leave for the professionals."

"You could have just taken him to Jack," Kate said. "We could have made a stretcher and carried him."

Dean shook his head. "No," Dean told her. "Moving him could make it worse."

Dean stood and went to the stream and used the water to clean Sayid's blood from his hands. Kate came up beside him and did the same. He was impressed. She'd helped him through the process anticipating his needs and making his task easier. She even pulled a spare shirt out of her bag and used it to wipe the sweat from Dean's brow when it built up.

Sayid had not moved the whole time. He'd purposely not used any of the anbesol when applying the sutures. The pain should have roused the man but it didn't and that was cause for concern.

He checked his watch. An hour and a half since Sam had left. He wished he could remember how long it had taken them to get here so he could estimate how long before he should expect Sam's return.

"Even if he runs the whole way," Kate told him. "It's gonna take him at least two, maybe three hours just to get there."

Dean nodded and returned to Sayid checking his pulse again and finding it steady and strong. He sat down, leaned his back against a tree and closed his eyes. Sam was out there somewhere. By himself and there were at least two demons on this island. Dean hoped he didn't make a mistake sending Sam back.

"How did you know?" Kate asked sitting on the ground across from Dean.

"How did I know what?" Dean asked.

"How did you know what to do when that…," Kate's gaze met Dean's. "…that thing attacked."

"It's a demon, Kate," Dean replied not answering her question. "Straight out of hell."

"A demon?" she scoffed not sounding in the least bit convinced. "As in a minion of Satan?"

"Minion?" Dean repeated with a smirk. "Who says minion?"

Kate reached over and punched Dean's arm. "I do," she said grinning. "Answer the question."

"I don't know about minions of Satan," Dean said. "But yes, they're demons that have escaped from hell."

"How do you know?" Kate asked.

"Because we've fought demons before," Dean told her.

"And you beat them?" she asked.

"Well, I'm still alive sweetheart," Dean said. "And most of them are back in hell where they belong."

"Most?" Kate asked.

"A few are dead," he told her.

"How do you kill a demon?" she asked. "For that matter how do you send it back to hell?"

"Sending um back to hell is easy," Dean told her. "A little holy water, a devils trap and the right ritual is all it takes. Killing them, that's not so easy."

"You're crazy you know that?" Kate said shaking her head.

"Hey, it was your friend that got launched around the clearing like a pinball, in arcade game." Dean told her.

Kate closed her eyes remembering the sight of Sayid being picked up by the thick band of black smoke and hurled into the trees again and again.

"What I don't get," Dean said breaking her thoughts away from that terrible scene. "Is why it didn't just possess him. It never even tried. It did with me, it tried but it couldn't get in." Dean reached up and pulled the second necklace out from under his shirt. He looked closer at the amulet. Thank God, Bobby had thought to give both him and Sam one after Meg had possessed his brother. Their amulets had saved them both.

"You mean those things can possess people?" Kate asked. "Like in the Exorcist?"

"Yep," Dean told her.

"And you and your brother," Kate asked. "You, what, go around hunting these things?"

"Well, yeah," Dean replied. "Demon's, ghosts, vampires and whatever other evil things we can find."

"So you're what?" Kate asked shaking her head and not believing she was having this conversation. "Modern day Ghostbusters?"

Dean laughed. "You could say that," told her. "But without the jumpsuits and nuclear proton packs."

"So who are you?" Kate smirked. "Venkman or Egon?"

"Sam's Egon that guy was a geek," Dean replied then wiggled his eyebrows at her and said, "I'm Venkman. Wanna be my gatekeeper?"

Kate rolled her eyes and stood up needing to walk around. She held onto the shot gun as she paced back and forth. "Why salt?"

"Salt is pure and more importantly it's a symbol of purity in cultures around the world," he told her moving to check on Sayid again. "It repels impure and unnatural things. Demons definitely fall into that category."

Kate still wasn't sure about the whole demon issue but it didn't really matter what it was. The salt worked and anything that would repel that monster was good. Then she remembered something Sam said. "What about the tree?" she asked. "Sam said the tree would protect us. How does a tree protect us from a demon?"

"It's a banyan tree," Dean told her. Then realizing that was not enough of an explanation for her he continued, "Different religions consider the tree in different ways but in all of them it's considered a sacred tree offering protection and in some it also grants wishes."

"How do you know all this?" she asked.

Dean's smile faded. "Family business," he replied then changed the subject. "So what do you know about Juliet?"

**A/N - Okay, as promised here's another chapter! Clicky, clicky! **


	9. Reunited

_**Disclaimer:** Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

_Thank you everyone for all the wonderful reviews! I'm so glad that all of you are enjoying my story and I wish I had time to reply personally to every review. But with this story, a 10 hour a day job, being on the Admin team for four web sites and needing to squeeze at least three hours of sleep in each night I just don't have time. I really do appreciate them though, they are like cookies to the cookie monster so please feel free to pass me a cookie whenever you like! Again Thank You and Enjoy!_

**Chapter Nine:**

After several hours of quiet discussions ranging from the island and it's occupants to music and muscle cars Dean and Kate's conversation had waned. They sat in the clearing silently watching the injured man and changing out the wet shirt he was using as a cold compress on Sayid's left kidney area. Dean suspected Sayid had internal damage in the area as it was badly bruised and getting warm to the touch even with the compress.

He was getting more and more concerned by the lack of movement and was worried that Sayid had slipped into a coma. On this island that could be a death warrant. Although how that was possible Dean was still unsure. Too many things on this island didn't add up and the mystery of the island just keeps getting deeper and deeper. One thing he knew for sure was they would find a way off. He would make certain off it.

A quiet moan and slight movement from Sayid instantly brought Dean out of his thoughts and to the injured man's side. "Kate," Dean said. "Come here, he's going to need to see someone familiar when he opens his eyes."

Kate was already moving into position on the other side of the prone man. "Sayid," she said quietly. "It's Kate."

Sayid's head thrashed slowly from side to side. Dean reached over and grabbed the sides of his face. "Sayid," he said. "You need to stay still." Feeling his head restrained Sayid fought harder. "Damn it Kate calm him down!"

"I'm trying!" Kate replied. "Sayid, be still and open your eyes," she coaxed.

Without opening his eyes, Sayid fought, twisting his body and attempting to dislodge Dean and Kate as they held him down. Then, suddenly, Jack was there moving Kate aside and taking her place.

"Sayid," he commanded. "Stop!" To the relief of both Kate and Dean the injured man calmed though his breathes were coming in short gasps he stopped all movement but remained tense. "Open your eyes Sayid," Jack demanded as he studied the work Dean had done on the man's injuries.

They could all see Sayid struggling to comply as Jack removed the cold compress and handed it to Kate with the indication that she should cool it off again in the creek. He glanced over the bruised area pressing down gently. Sayid's eyes popped open and he moaned in pain. "Stop," he whispered to Jack as he struggled to get the pain under control.

Jack stopped and leaned in so his friend could see him without moving his head. "I'm sorry Sayid," Jack said. "I need to find out the extent of the damage." Jack continued his exam being as careful as he could. Unfortunately pain is a necessary indication of injury and it helps when making the assessment.

Sayid sighed when Jack stopped the exam of his abdomen, stood and moved off to the side motioning for Dean to come with him. Sam, Juliet and Sun followed. Kate, Jin and Hurley stayed with Sayid.

Once they were far enough away Jack asked, "What happened?" Dean looked at Sam who shrugged indicating that he had already told Jack. "I need more details."

Dean nodded his understanding. "The demon picked him up and slammed his back into that tree pretty hard, then into that one face first and back into that one a few more times and once into that boulder." He pointed out the offending objects. "Kate shot the demon with the salt gun and he fell to the ground there. Unfortunately we had to move him twice. Once into the protection of the Banyan tree and then back out of it once the demon was gone."

Jack and the others took everything in without interrupting. "I thought there was a good chance that he might have a ruptured spleen and I'm sure he has a bruised kidney. One of his floating ribs is broken or fractured. He has a concussion due to the blow to his head. His left eye is dilated and non responsive. I stitched four other lacerations on his chest. There are no open injuries on his back. He was unconscious for…," he looked at his watch. "…four and a half hours."

Jack nodded impressed with Dean's assessment and his skills. The man obviously had some form of medical training. "Are you an EMT?"

Dean shook his head. "Nah," he told the older man. "I just picked up a few things here and there."

"Well," Jack told him. "Those 'few things' saved his life. So did your decision not to move him." Jack went back to Sayid and continued to do what he could. He knew if the spleen was ruptured there wasn't anything he could do about it here. Not with what he had to work with and moving him on a stretcher wasn't going to do him any good either.

"Thank you, for saving his life." Sun told Dean before turning and joining her husband. Juliet and Kate joined Jack at Sayid's side leaving Dean and Sam alone.

They sat on a couple of boulders at the edge of the creek far enough away from the others that they couldn't be overheard. "You okay?" Dean asked Sam.

Sam nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "You?"

"I'm fine," Dean told him. They sat in silence for a few minutes watching Jack and the others.

"Why'd you do it?" Sam asked. "Knowing what they are why'd you even try?"

Dean shrugged. "I don't know," he replied. "But it worked, he didn't… die."

"What would happen to him if he did?" Sam asked.

"I don't know."

"But Dean…"

"Sam, I don't know alright. I don't have the answers," Dean said. "I shouldn't have been able to save him. Even if he were alive he should have died from those injuries." Dean ran his palm down his face then looked up at Sam. "Did you learn anything from Juliet?"

"Only that she knows there are demons on this island," Sam replied. "I wish I had my laptop."

"Yeah well," Dean told him. "I wish we'd never taken the job on that boat."

"Well, I guess that lady, what was her name?" Sam asked.

"Reija," Dean told him. "Reija Vanadis."

Sam shook his head at his brothers ability to remember the names of all the girls he's ever met. "Right, well, Reija Vanadis doesn't have to worry about that thing on her boat anymore."

"Not unless…" Dean started to reply but was interrupted.

"Who did you say?" Juliet asked having walked up while they were speaking.

"Reija Vanadis," Sam said. "Why? Do you know her."

"No," she said quickly. "No I just... I thought you said something else."

"What?" Dean asked suspiciously.

"Nothing, never mind," she replied vaguely. "Dean, Jack needs you."

Sam and Dean exchanged a knowing look. She was lying and they both knew it. But why would she lie? Leaving his brother with Juliet Dean went to Jack who was now motioning for him to come.

"Juliet…," Sam started to ask.

"Don't ask, Sam," she said. "There's too much I can't tell you."

"Then who can?" Sam demanded.

"There is only one person on this island that can help you," she said.

"Who's that?" Sam asked watching as Jack spoke with Dean across the clearing

"Jacob," Juliet told him saying his name almost reverently.

"Fine," Sam said. "Where's Jacob?"

"I don't know," she replied.

"Well who does?" he asked his eyes still on his brother as he and Jack carefully turned Sayid so Jack could examine his back.

"Ben," she told him. "But you can't…"

"You've mentioned him before," Sam said interrupting her. "You said he doesn't belong here."

"He does, but he doesn't," she said cryptically.

"What?" Sam asked turning to face Juliet.

"Ben is… like me," she replied extending her wings to express her point. "But he's not himself right now."

Sam remained silent for a few minutes thinking about what he was being told. "Ben's possessed by a demon," he finally said. Juliet nodded. "And this island always provides what's needed." Again she nodded. "So your island brought us here so we could get rid of the demons for you?"

"And save Jacob," she told him.

"Jacob, the only person who can get us off this island."

"Yes," she told him.

"Okay so first we need to get to Ben and get rid of the demon in him," he said a plan formulating. "Then we'll just have the real Ben tell us where Jacob is."

"You make it sound so easy," Juliet said.

"Trust me," he replied. "It's rarely that easy. Where do we find Ben?"

"I don't know," she said. "He took all his people and left."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Great," he said. "See what I mean, never easy." He fell silent again and watched as Jack and Dean worked on Sayid with the help of the others. "They're not ghosts are they?" he asked her.

"No," Juliet said. "They're something far more precious."

"What?" Sam asked just as Sun came over.

Juliet looked at Sam, and smiled, "I have a feeling you'll figure it out soon." Then turned to Sun and asked, "What can I do to help?"

"Jack needs the blanket in your pack," Sun said.

Sam sighed as Juliet used the request as an excuse to abandon their conversation. Jinn and Hurley came over and took seats on the boulders near to him. Jinn spoke to him, saying something in Korean.

"I'm sorry," Sam told him. "I don't understand."

Jinn was silent for a few seconds considering how to get his point across. "Brother… good," he told Sam.

Hurley remained silent but nodded.

Sam smiled. "Yes, Dean is good," he replied. "But don't let him know I said that. His ego's big enough as it is now."

Jinn smiled at him then made a circle with his hands and said, "Camp. You help us." He pointed at Hurley and himself.

Sam smiled back with a nod. He sighed and stood to help them set up camp and muttered, "I hate camping."

**A/N - Wow this story is coming along quickly! Okay if all goes as I'm planning then the next chapter should provide at least some of the answers y'all are looking for! Until then Enjoy and please... review! **


	10. Devil's Trap

_**Disclaimer:** Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

_Okay, so I lied. This chapter was supposed to go in a different direction but when I started writing it took on a life of it's own. So the answers aren't here yet but I'm getting there. I promise! Unitl then... Enjoy!_

**Chapter Ten: **

They spent the night in the clearing. Dean insisted on setting up a rotating watch with two people on watch for two hour shifts. Sam and Dean spent some time setting protection around the camp. Then during what passed for the dinner meal they explained the best methods of defense against demons.

Sun, who translated for Jinn, Kate, Juliet and Hurley seemed to take the lessons well. Jack scoffed at the idea of there being real demons. "You actually believe this works?" he asked.

"Jack," she Kate replied. "I know how it sounds, and if I hadn't seen what I did earlier I wouldn't believe it either, but I saw the salt work. I saw the dem…."

"Demons?" Jack said disbelief plain in his voice. "You really think there are demons out there?"

Sam and Dean shared a knowing look. They'd been here before trying to convince non-believers of the truth. Most of the time now, Dean didn't even try anymore. If someone believed then they believed if they didn't then it was their problem. However, Dean liked Jack; he respected the man's skills both as a doctor and a leader so he made a special effort. "What is it then?" he asked the doctor. "The creature made of smoke that's killing your people?"

"I don't know what it is," Jack told him. "Some kind of mon…"

"Monster?" Dean asked. "So you believe in monsters but not demons?"

"I don't know what to believe," Jack replied. "But don't you think calling it a demon is just a little extreme?"

"Why don't you believe it's a demon?" Sam asked.

"Because there are no such things as demons," Jack told him.

"Of course there are," Sun said. "Evil exists even if we don't want it to, Jack."

"Maybe that's where all my bad luck came from," Hurley said. "Do you think a demon might have cursed me?" he asked Sam.

"No, demons don't curse people. If they want to hurt them they just do it." Sam told him. "If you were cursed it was by something else, not a demon."

"Something else?" Jack asked.

"Never mind," Dean told him. He didn't want to open another can of worms and have them all thinking they were totally insane. Most people could handle learning about evil things. But it was best learned in small bites. It was easier to swallow that way.

Sam turned to Jack and said. "You don't have to believe in demons. Just remember the things we're telling you in case you are attacked."

"Just because you don't believe in demons," Dean said, "doesn't mean they don't believe in you. The things we're telling you will work."

Silence descended on the group as they finished their meal of fruits and dried boar. Sam blessed several bottles of water giving one to each of them.

Kate and Juliet took the first watch keeping an eye on both Sayid and the surrounding forest. After a silent and uneventful two hours they woke Dean and Hurley for their shift. Dean intentionally took the shift that would occur during the midnight hour. It wasn't just witches that liked to strike at that time. 

There were a lot of questions that Hurley wanted to ask Dean but because they were on opposite ends of the campsite that was impossible. It didn't however stop him from thinking of every scary creature he'd ever seen on television and imagining it in the forest around them. He was surprised he made it thought the entire two hours without jumping out of his skin or worse, wetting his pants. Though it came very close to either or both of those when a bat fluttered a few feet above his head.

At the end of their shift, Dean walked up to Hurley and quietly told him, "The first time Sammy was set on a watch he screamed like a girl when a possum came out of the tree next to him."

"It was a bat," he said.

"Yeah," Dean told him handing him the shotgun to give to Jinn. "I hate them too. You did fine Hurley. Go wake Jinn."

Hurley nodded. "Thanks," he said and left to wake the Korean couple.

Dean lay down a few yards from his brother and wasn't the least bit surprised when Sam whispered, "I was thirteen years old Dean."

Dean grinned, put his hands under his head and said, "Goodnight Sammy."

Sun woke Sam two hours later handing him the shotgun. "It was very quiet," she told him. "We did not see anything unusual."

Sam checked the protections and the camps perimeter. Finding nothing amiss he took the position he'd staked out and prepared the evening before. Dean would probably have something smart ass to say if he knew Sam was outside the safe zone but what Dean didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

Jack lifted the compress on Sayid's side and examined the area. Relief surged through him and he sighed as he realized the fever in the area had lessened. He rinsed the compress and replaced it before checking Sayid's other injuries. When he lifted the bandage on his head Sayid opened his eyes and asked, "How bad is it?"

Jack smiled down at his patient. "You're going to be fine," he replied, "thanks to Dean."

"Dean?" Sayid repeated surprised.

"Yes," Jack told him. "Turns out he knows more then just how to fight demons."

"Demons?" Sayid asked.

"That's what he calls the thing that attacked you," Jack said.

Sayid sighed and closed his eyes. "A demon," he said. "As though I did not bring enough of my own demons to this island."

Jack nodded, "I think we all did," he replied. "Get some sleep Sayid. Tomorrow is going to be a rough day."

Sam walked his chosen path his eyes searching the darkness. He was expecting trouble. He knew the demons wouldn't let them alone for any length of time. He knew they were out there, in the dark. He could feel it in his bones and the dark shadows of the forest made spotting any black demonic smoke all the more difficult.

Jack glanced around the campsite counting the sleeping members of the group to make sure all were accounted for. A grunt followed by soft scuffles drew his attention to the other side of the camp where Sam had taken up his position. He was nowhere to be seen.

At the sounds of the quiet struggle Dean was on his feet and moving towards the battle almost before his eyes were opened. He saw Jack moving in his direction and hissed, "Stay with Sayid."

Sam was knocked back suddenly by a cloud of dark smoke that appeared out of nowhere. His back hit a tree with enough force to jar a grunt from his large frame. He lifted the shotgun and aimed it at the creature but before he could pull the trigger it sped away only to return on his other side and knock him around again. Taking the hit without falling down he backed slowly away from the attacking demon. He saw his brother coming quickly towards him and yelled, "Stay there Dean!"

Dean stopped at the tone in Sam's voice. Something was up. He stopped and looked around it took less then a second to realize his brother's plan and even less then that to decide that if his brother lived through this he was going to kill him!

Sam stopped and waited for the demon to attack again. It took all his self control not to do anything to protect himself. However, this time when the demon attacked it never made it close enough to touch him. It was soaring towards him intent on doing some lasting damage when suddenly it stopped as though it hit a brick wall. "Got ya," he told it as it screeched loudly slamming against its invisible bonds.

Dean walked up to Sam and spun him around. "What the hell was that?" he asked.

"What?" Sam asked knowing full well what Dean was talking about.

Neither got a chance to continue. The other campers, woken by the horrific sounds of the trapped demon came over weapons ready. Dean threw holy water on the demon. It hissed as steam rose from its smoky form and it quit screeching.

"Dude, how'd you do that?" Hurley asked.

"Devil's Trap" Sam told him pointing to where he'd drawn the trap on the side of a large boulder.

"It's kind of like a giant roach motel," Dean clarified. "Demon's get in but they don't get out."

"How long will that hold it?" Sun asked.

"Forever," Sam told her. "Or until someone breaks the circle."

"Great," Jack said. "Now that you have it trapped, how do you get rid of it?"

"An exorcism," Juliet said.

Sam nodded. "Everyone stay back," he said. "I don't want anyone breaking the line before we're done." He motioned for Dean to hit the demon again with the holy water. His brother complied and Sam began the ritual to exorcise the demon back too hell.

The sun was just peaking over the horizon when with one final screech the demon seemed to expand and then imploded on itself as Dean hit it one final time with holy water.

Sam backed up into the protected area of the camp and sat heavily on a fallen log they'd been using as a bench. Dean walked over and pointed to Sam's shirt indicating he should open it. "That was a stupid thing to try Sammy," he told his brother. "You could have been killed! What were you thinking?"

"Where'd it go?" Jack said coming over and sitting on his haunches in front of Sam as he removed his shirt. He saw the hits the young hunter had taken and was worried Sam had some broken ribs.

"Back to hell," Dean told Jack.

"I'm fine," Sam said as Jack pressed lightly at his rib cage. He flinched slightly as the doctor hit a tender spot.

"Nothing's broken," Jack told them then asked, "How do you know?"

"How do we know what?" Dean asked.

"How do you know it's gone back to hell?" Jack clarified.

Dean shrugged, "It's what we were taught. Besides, I've been attacked by one that I'd sent back already. It was pretty adamant that it didn't like being sent back there."

Sam buttoned his shirt. "Anyway," he told the others. "It should be safe for you to head back now. The other one probably won't be back. It knows what we did to that one."

"What do you mean?" Jack asked. "Aren't you coming back with us?"

"No," Dean replied. "We're going after the other demons on the island."

- - - -

It had taken a little convincing to get Jack to leave them, but in the end he knew there wasn't really any way to stop them so a stretcher had been built to carry Sayid and Jack and his people were packed and ready. Sayid lay on the stretcher awake and in considerably less pain then yesterday. Dean knelt beside him as Sayid thanked him for saving his life. "You'd have done the same for me," Dean told him.

"Are you so sure?" Sayid asked.

Dean grinned. "Yes," he replied before standing and moving to Jack and the others. He and Sam shook their hands and said their good byes. With Dean carefully avoiding any contact with Kate who obviously wanted to say something to him.

Jack headed out on the trail, Sun behind him, then Hurley and Jinn carrying Sayid.

Juliet stood with the hunters. "We'll find Ben and take care of him," Sam told her. "Then we'll find Jacob."

Juliet nodded. "You two be careful," she told them. "If you die on this island, it will be real. There will be no coming back."

"That's good to know," Dean said shaking his head at the typically cryptic remark. He watched Juliet follow the others and continued to ignore Kate. "So Sam," he asked his brother. "Which way?"

Sam never got the chance to answer. Kate, tired of Dean ignoring her let loose with a resounding slap on his backside that had his eyes opening wide in surprise. He turned to her and asked, "Something you need Kate?" Kate reached up and locked her lips with Dean's.

Sam smirked and headed off into the forest.

Only slightly surprised Dean recovered quickly and deepened the kiss leaving her breathless and slightly frazzled by the time he released her and followed his brother.

Kate watched him until he was out of site then turned and followed Jack. She'd decided she had enough excitement following Sam and Dean the first time. If they were going after the other demon then she didn't want to be anywhere around them when they did. She was brave, but she wasn't stupid.

**A/N - Sorry, no real answers in this chapter. But I've already started the next one and in it they meet an unexpected ally who helps them learn some of the islands secrets. But for now... I'm off to bed. Three hours of sleep and then it's back to work! Ya'll enjoy and feel free to hit the review button!**


	11. Disclosure

_**Disclaimer:** Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

_This is it, as promised. Some of your questions will be answered before the end of this chapter so have fun and enjoy!_

**Chapter Eleven:**

The woods ended suddenly leaving the brothers facing a crescent row of tall pillars. "Huh," Dean his eyebrows raised. "Looks like Juliet was telling the truth."

Sam approached the fence curiously shaking his head. "A fence made from sonic waves?" he said amazed. "Who would have even known that they deter demons?"

"Dude," Dean said concerned. "Stay back. We don't know how close you have to be to get knocked on your ass."

"It's okay," Sam said. "I think we're safe unless we cross between the pillars."

"Why?"

"Because you have to be able to get to the panel," Sam replied walking up to the nearest pillar and lifting the lid to the panel. He put in the code that Juliet gave him, watched the light go from red to green and closed the panel. "Okay," he said with a nod. "Lets go."

"Wait," Dean said stopping his brother. "How do you know that turned it off?" He picked up a stick and threw it between the fence posts. Nothing happened.

Sam smirked. "Um Dean," he said. "That's not really gonna tell you anything."

"Why not?" Dean asked.

"Because the sonic waves are only dangerous to living things," Sam told him.

"Oh," Dean said. "Then how do we make sure it's not gonna fry us when we go through it?"

"Dean," Sam said exasperated and pointing at the panel. "The light changed from red to green."

"So what?" Dean said. "In case you haven't noticed things are a bit screwy on this island. How do we know green doesn't mean stop here?"

Sam rolled his eyes and stepped between the pillars before Dean could stop him. "See," he told his brother. "It's down, now come on."

Dean's eyes widen as Sam stepped between the pillars but when nothing happened he shook his head and muttered to himself, "I am so going to kill him myself one of these days."

Sam reset the fence and they continued their trek to the home of the others. Less then an hour later they were peering cautiously through the thick brush at a small community of houses. The place was deserted. A quick search of the buildings ensured that everyone was indeed gone.

Dean handed Sam a beer from the fridge in the game room. Sam opened it, took a drink and set it on the table. "I don't get it," he said as he racked the balls on the pool table. "They've got everything they need here, real houses, electricity, food…"

"Real bathrooms with flushing toilets and hot showers," Dean added as he picked up a pool stick and chalked it. "Not to mention surveillance cameras in every room of some of those houses."

"Yeah," Sam replied as he stepped back from the table. "Everything you need. So why'd they leave?"

"Kate said Ben's people had captured Jack," Dean told his brother lining up his pool stick for the break. "She, John and Sayid tracked them here and tried to take him back but they were caught."

"How'd they get away?" Sam asked checking over the sticks for one to use.

Dean snapped his stick back and forward sending the cue ball sailing down the table. It smacked into the triangle of colored balls scattering them across the table and sinking the two and the nine. "They didn't," he replied. "They were knocked out with some kind of gas and when they woke up they and Juliet were the only ones here. Everyone else was gone."

Sam watched Dean work the table as he talked. He enjoyed watching his brother play. It was like magic the way he did it. Oh Sam knew it was math the game was based on angles, trajectories and the velocity of the ball and all that. But for Dean it all just seem to flow as naturally as shooting a gun did for him. Sam was smart, he knew he was, Dean knew he was and he could play the game. He could play it well enough to earn a living from it if he had to but Dean, Dean was a master at the game. He could easily have competed professionally and been one of if not the top contender in the sport.

"So why doesn't Jack move his people here?" Sam asked watching Dean sink the three and five in one shot. "It's got to be better then the beach. It's got all the comforts of home."

"Because Ben and his people can come back at anytime," Dean replied as he lined up his next shot and eased the one ball past the eight to set it gently into the corner pocket. "Jack wouldn't endanger his people any more then he had too."

"But this place is compound. They could easily defend it," Sam said shaking his head as Dean cleared the last of his balls from the table and lined up the eight ball.

"Kate said the other survivors didn't want to leave the beach," Dean told him glancing at Sam. "They were afraid if they did they might miss a rescue ship." He turned back to the table grinned and took a quick shot that he knew was going to miss the pocket. "You're up," he said to his brother grabbed his beer and finished it off.

A small smile played across Sam's face. He knew his brother had missed the eight on purpose. "There's not going to be a rescue ship," Sam said chalking his stick. "They're bodies have all been accounted for. No one's looking for them."

Dean sighed. "I know," he said. "This is so messed up." He watched Sam line up his stick and take his first shot. The eleven ball rolled smoothly across the table and dropped into the side pocket. "What I don't understand is what they are?"

Sam took another shot sinking the nine and the thirteen. "Juliet said they're not ghosts," he told Dean. "She said they were more precious then that."

"Well that doesn't really help does it?" he said grabbing another beer from the icebox. "These people from the plane, they seem to have all the memories and appearance of the victims of the crash."

Sam lined up on the fourteen and took a shot just a thought struck him. The cue ball went sailing off the table and rolled across the floor.

"Nice shot, Sammy," Dean said picking up the ball.

Sam looked at his brother. "Dean, what if…," he paused shaking his head.

"What if, what?" Dean asked.

"What if they are the souls of the people on the plane?" Sam said awed.

Dean shook his head. "Nope," he replied immediately.

Sam rolled his eyes and sighed. "Why not?" he asked.

Dean put the cue ball on table lined up the eight ball and snapped it into the pocket. "Because that would mean we were either in Heaven or Hell," he replied. "Does this look Heaven or Hell to you?" Dean tossed his stick onto the table, grabbed his duffle bag and said, "Let's go Sam. We need to pick up their trail."

- - - - -

It had taken them several hours to pick up the trail but once they had it there wasn't much of chance of losing it. There were after all a lot of people living in the compound. Once they'd figured out that the Others had used an escape tunnel that took them a good three miles from the community bringing them out just inside of the perimeter fence they'd been able to track them easily.

They discovered a large field where the Others had made camp for the night. It was when they were skirting the field that Dean discovered the second trail. The one they were following now. It started out with three sets of tracks, two people dragging someone off away from the main camp. They found where someone lay on the ground, bound. One of the others had left but someone else had come. The bonds had been cut and a small pool of dried blood was on the ground where someone else had fallen near a deep dark well. Two sets of tracks led back to camp but the tracks of the person who'd been bound led off into the woods.

They'd decided to follow those tracks figuring they could always come back and find the larger trail later. It was dark now but they had their flashlights out and were still following the escapee. "Lights out Dean," Sam hissed turning off his flashlight as he spotted a fire in the distance.

They waited, allowing their eyes to adjust to the darkness before moving cautiously forward. A small fire was burning with a bird roasting above it on a wooden skewer. A pack was sitting to the side of a log and a blanket was next to the pack. Of the camps occupant though there was no sign. Dean motions for Sam to stay in the cover of the trees and keep watch.

Sam watched his brother move slowly forward and enter the camp. He scanned the surrounding forest looking for anything that would give away the camps occupant. There was nothing to indicate there was anyone around. Whoever was camping here, they were good, very good.

Suddenly Sam's eyes widened and his breath hitched. He spun around just in time to duck beneath the knife that was glinting from the light of the camps fire. His arm shot out capturing the wrist of the man who held the knife. He stepped forward towards the shadowed man and delivered a backhanded blow to the side of the man's face.

The knife fell to the ground just before a powerful sidekick tore into Sam's gut. He released the man's wrist and grabbed his ankle before it could be pull it back. He twisted it painfully sending the man to the ground.

Dean had just squatted down in front of the fire. He was about to rip a piece of meat off the bird cooking above it when the sounds of a quiet struggle broke out behind him. He whirled cursing himself for his own stupidity. How many times growing up had his father told him never to look into the fire because it will ruin your night vision. The darkness of the forest was complete and until his eyes again adjust to the lack of light he was walking into a dangerous situation nearly blind.

Sam had barely dumped the guy on the ground when he felt his legs swept out from under him and he joined the fallen man on the soft grass. An elbow smashed viscously down as he landed but he was already rolling away and was struck on his arm instead of his chest. Using the momentum of his roll to climb back onto his feet he spun and launched a kick at his opponent catching the man in the side.

The man spun as the kick landed making it a glancing blow. It was enough to draw a grunt from him but not enough to stop him from landing a spinning back hand the side of Sam's head. Stunned by the powerful blow Sam was sent head first into tree and knocked senseless.

Dean watched Sam hit the tree and slide down to the ground stunned. He grabbed his brother's attacker from behind putting him in an arm lock and wrapping his other arm around the man's throat. He was about to ask Sam if he was okay when his captive took a step forward and bend at the waist. The action threw Dean off balance and he knew what was coming next. He gripped the man's arm tighter as he felt himself going over the man's shoulder.

Sam threw off the haze that was clouding his thoughts and his vision. He stood up just in time to see Dean going over the man's shoulder. He reached back and grabbed his gun and released the safety. Dean retained his grip on the man's wrist dragging him down to the ground with him. Once on the ground though, Dean released the man rolled and came up on one knee his bowie knife in his hand at the man's throat. He shook his head though as he realized the man also had time to reach his own weapons and had a gun in each hand. One pointed at each of the brothers.

Dean's eyes widened in shock as the light from the fire cast itself across the man's face. He dropped his knife hand and swallowed hard. "Dad?" he said his voice filled with emotion.

John Winchester smiled sadly as he lowered both weapons. "Dean, Sam," he said looking from one to the other. "What are you boys doing here?"

Sam's gun didn't waver as John stood up then reached his hand down to help his son up. "Who are you?" he asked.

"It's me Son," John said. "But you two shouldn't be here. Not yet."

"Yeah," Dean replied. "So we've heard. Thing is, we don't know where here is."

"This island has many names," John told him. "Some people call it _The Island of the Dead _or _The Blessed Island_. Most people though call it _The Elysian Fields_ otherwise know as…"

"_Valhalla_," Sam finished for him lowering his gun. "Home of the _Einherjar_ and the _Valkyries_ that serve them."

**A/N - Okay so for the thirty of you who got a sneak peak at the anwers before I altered the chapter I'd messed up I once again appologise. Hopefully knowing where I was going didn't take too much of the excitement out of this chapter for you. So, what'd y'all think? How many of you had it all figured out and how many were surprised? Go ahead, click the review button and let me know what you think so far. **


	12. Campfire story

_**Disclaimer:** Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

**Chapter Twelve:**

"Valhalla?" Dean repeated.

"Yes," John told his son.

"Then we are dead," Sam said quietly.

John shook his head thoughtfully. "I don't think so," he replied.

"Why not?" Sam asked.

"Well, for one, if you were," John told him. "You'd remember everything about the island."

"I'm not so sure about that," Dean told his father. "Jack and his people don't remember."

"None of them?" John asked.

Sam considered it, nodded and replied, "I think maybe John Locke knows something."

"What difference does it make?" Dean asked. "Why would we know about the island if we were dead, but the people on flight 815 wouldn't? It makes no sense."

"Come on," John said leading his son's back to the fire. "We have a lot to discuss and I think my dinner is burning." He went to the fire, removed the slightly blackened bird from spit and sat on a log near his bedroll.

"Dad," Dean asked sitting on a rock across from his father. "What the hell's going on?"

"And why are you so sure we're not dead?" Sam asked sinking to the ground and leaning against a tree.

"I haven't worked everything out yet," John told Dean. "I know there are demons on this island and that's something that's never happened here before."

Dean nodded. "We know," he said. "We've already sent one back to hell."

John's eyes widened as he looked from one son to the other. "How?" he asked.

Sam shook his head and muttered, "We're fine dad, thanks for asking."

John looked at Sam his facial expressions going from confusion to near laughter before settling into a more serious almost blank look. "This is so confusing," he told his son. "You have no idea how difficult this is for me."

"For you?" Sam and Dean said together.

John put both hands up. "Yeah, okay." He ran his hand over his stubbly chin wishing for either a razor or for his beard to finally grow out enough to quit itching. "So how much do you know about Valhalla?" he asked.

Sam cleared his throat. "In Norse mythology Valhalla is the hall presided over by the god Odin. It's supposed to be a great hall."

"This doesn't look like a great hall to me," Dean said. Both John and Sam glared at Dean. He raised his eyebrows, "What?"

"If I remember the legend correctly its where the Valkyries bring the souls of the heroes that died in battles."

"Why?" Dean asked.

"To prepare them for final battle," Sam told his brother.

"Wait, that doesn't make sense," Dean said. "Jack is not a warrior, he's a doctor and come on… did you get a look at Hurley? These people aren't warriors. Why are they here?"

"They will be," John replied. "There are many different jobs in an army Dean. Not everyone is on the front lines but that doesn't even matter. What we see when we look at them, what you see when you look at me isn't a true representation of their soul. It's the residual affect of their last life."

"How do you know all this?" Sam asked.

"Their last life?" Dean asked at the same time.

John sighed. "This is harder to explain then I thought it would be and there's still a lot that I don't know," he said.

"Why not?" Dean asked.

"This island is like…," John paused looking for he right words. "… a training facility. Each time a soul comes to the island they learn something new, something more that they will need in the coming battle. But each time they come they also learn more about the island itself and the more they've been on the island the more they remember the next time they return."

"So Jack and his people don't remember because…," Sam said.

"Because they are still to young," John told him. "They are all young souls."

"What about the baby?" Dean asked. "What exactly is a baby supposed to learn here? For that matter how is it a baby can even be born here?"

"What baby?" John asked.

"Clair, one of the survivors…," Dean rolled his eyes and shook his head. "… or whatever. She had a baby, born on the island."

A grin split John's face. "I'll bet that pissed Ben off," he said.

"Dad?" Sam asked.

"Babies born on the island are new souls. New souls born to become warriors," John told his sons. "Ben has been killing all the mothers before they give birth preventing the creation of new warriors."

"Killing them?" Dean asked. "Dad, what happens to the people that die on the island."

"Normally they are reborn into the body of an newborn child," he said. "But when Ben kills them, the way he's killing them. Their soul and the soul of their child is lost forever."

"So if Sayid had died," Dean said quietly. "It would have really been the end for him?"

"Who's Sayid?" John asked.

"He's one of Jacks people," Sam said. "He was with us when we were attacked by a demon. It nearly killed him." He looked at Dean before continuing. "Dean saved him."

John grinned at his son. "Then he owes you a lot more then just his life," he said.

Dean shook his head. "I don't even understand how he survived," Dean said. "He should have died from his injuries."

"It wasn't his time," John told Dean. "Injuries heal quickly on this island, even the most grievous of wounds can be cured if it's not your time to be reborn."

"How many times have you been here?" Sam asked his father. "How many lives on earth have you lived?"

"Hundreds," John answered, "Maybe thousands."

"And you remember them?" Dean asked.

"Some of them," John answered nodding his head. "Some of them are very clear memories, others are vague."

"So who were you?" Dean asked.

John smiled. "Those lives aren't really important," he replied. Then looked from one son to the other and continued. "In one lifetime I was William Wallace, in another I was General Robert Lee."

Sam's eyebrows rose, "As in _Confederate General Robert E. Lee _from the civil war?"

"Wait, William Wallace? You were _Braveheart_?" Dean asked.

John smirked and nodded at both his sons.

"Whoa," Dean said. "That gives a whole new meaning to the term, _Career Military_."

John said with a frown. "Yeah well, I've also led some lives I'm not proud of like the time I was nothing more then a thief and a cutthroat thug."

"Dad," Sam asked. "What about…" He paused unsure of how to ask his question without upsetting his father. "What about mom?"

"Mary's here, on the island," he replied. "I haven't seen her yet, but she's one of us so she is here. We'll find her, I promise."

"One of us?" Dean asked.

"We tend to stay together," John replied. "The soul's that are related to one another. They have a tendency to be connected somehow on earth. Sometimes they're siblings or they are husband and wife. Sometimes they're just very close friends."

"We should look for her," Dean said. "We should find her now."

"Dean, we will, I promise," John said. "But not yet, first we have a job to do."

"What?" Dean asked. "No! This is mom we're talking about. We need to find her. Make sure she's safe."

John sighed. "I already know where she is," he told his son.

"Where?" Sam asked.

"She's with Ben," he told them.

Dean stood and grabbed his duffle bag. "Come on Sammy," he told his brother. "Let's go."

"Dean wait," John said standing and grabbing Dean by the arm. "We can't, not yet. There's something we need to do first."

Sam stood preparing to leave with Dean.

"What's that dad?" Dean said stiffly his temper flaring.

"We need to find Jacob," John said. "Now, more then ever."

"No dad," Dean said. "God, you're acting like this Jacob person is more important then mom!"

"Right now he is," John said shocking both Dean and Sam into silence.

Dean shook his head and all the anger he had built up over the past year came boiling out of him in a single powerful punch to his father's face. John went down hard and Dean jumped on top of him pinning him to the ground. "I am so tired of all your self righteous crap!" he shouted slamming another blow into his fathers face. "Mom dies and you drag us all over the country on a crusade to destroy the thing that killed her. You give up our childhood, our lives for your fight."

"Dean," Sam shouted and lunged for his brother. "No!"

"We did it Dad, everything you've every asked us to do! Then what!" Dean continued his tirade ignoring his brother. "Then you make a deal with the damn thing! You make a freakin' deal with the demon when you should have killed it! You could have killed it, you were that close and you had the colt!"

John remained silent taking the blows his son reined down on him and making no move to stop him.

"Dean!" Sam repeated grabbing his brother and pulling him from their father.

"And were you done then? No, because after your deal, you had to go and tell me your secret. The thing you couldn't bare to do. The thing you knew you wouldn't be able to do if it came down to it. So what did you do Dad? You took the cowards way out! You left it for me to do. You made me promise that I'd do it and then you let that damn yellow eyed freak kill you and take you to hell!"

"Dean!" Sam shouted pushing his brother against a tree. "That's enough!"

"I quite agree," said a masculine voice from the darkness of the trees.

All three Winchesters reacted immediately and before the final word floated out of the darkness three guns were pointed in the direction of the sounds. Two forty fives and nine millimeter followed the darkly clad figure out of the woods and into the circle of the camp.

"You," the winged figure said pointing at Dean. "Are hardly one to talk about making deals with demons. As I understand it you yourself have less then a year left on your own deal."

**A/N - Hmm... not many reviews for the last chapter. Does that mean y'all don't like the answers?**

_**In this chapter there's a lot of lure about Valhalla and it took a while for me to compile all the different versions of legends of Valhalla, sift through it and pick out the parts I wanted to use for this story. However, all the things I say in this chapter are mentioned in the different legends with one exception. The legends say that all the Valkyries are female that part I altered to fit the story. Besides, if females can be warriors why wouldn't there be male Valkyries to service their needs too!**_


	13. Guilt

_**Disclaimer:** Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

_Sorry about the delay in getting this chapter up! I'm trying to finish my story without my muse wandering off. I already had to go get her from the Lost forums a few times and just yesterday she was wandering around on the Moonlight forum making eyes at Mick St. John! At least she knows where to find the hot guys!_

**Chapter Thirteen: **

Cocking the trigger Dean pointed it at the creatures' right eye. "Who the hell are you?" 

"Richard!" John yelled at the same time. "Enough!" Keeping his eyes on the dark haired Valkyrie John put his weapon away.

Sam noting his fathers' action lowered the barrel of his gun, but didn't put it away. Dean was still holding the creature in his sights.

"Dean," John told his son. "It's okay. This is Richard, he's helping me… us."

"No," Dean said. "He's helping you." Keeping his gun on the Valkyrie Dean picked his bag up again and began to back away from the creature. "Come on Sammy," he said. "We're leaving."

"Mary is in Ben's camp," Richard told Dean. "She's safe for now, but if you go there. Ben will destroy her."

Sam looked from the Valkyrie to his father. John nodded confirming what Richard was saying. "How is she safe if Ben is possessed by a demon?"

"Right now she is one of more then forty people in that camp," Richard told him. "She's just another soul, but if you go there you are going to single her out and put her in danger."

"How?" Dean growled his gun still trained on the Valkyrie.

"The demon in Ben will know you for what you are the moment he sees you," Richard told him. "And Mary will recognize you and try to help."

"By going to her, you are going to make her a target," John said. "We will save her Dean, but we need to do it carefully."

"Dean," Sam said quietly. "I really hate to admit it, but I think they're right."

"I don't care," Dean said finally lowering his gun and putting the safety back on. "We can't just leave her there by herself."

John sighed. "Dean," he told his son. "She would not want you to risk yourself for her."

"I don't care," Dean said his voice filled with emotion. "I… I have to save her this time. I have to."

"You will," Richard told him softly. "But the way to save her is to rescue Jacob. Once he's free he can help you save her."

"He's right Dean," John said. "Jacob is the key to this entire island. Without him the island is doomed. Without the island Mary won't survive."

"Why is Jacob so important?" Dean asked. "Why should I save a complete stranger before I save her?"

"He's not a stranger," John told him. "Jacob is the name he uses here, but his real name is Odin."

Dean ran a palm down his face. "As in the god?" he asked. John nodded.

"If Jacob is a god why can't he free himself?" Sam asked.

"Just because he's a god doesn't make him invincible Sam," John told his youngest son. "You should know that. How many gods and demigods have we destroyed?"

"Okay," Dean said. "I get that he's a god and all, but why is he so important?"

"We need Jacob so he can save the island," Richard told them. "Without him saving your mother would be pointless. If Ben succeeds in his plan to destroy the island then your mother, your father and all the souls on this island will be lost forever."

"And more importantly," John told them. "He's the only one who can get you two back to where you belong."

"I don't care about going back," Dean said shaking his head. "I don't want to go back. My family is here. This is where I want to be."

Sam smiled sadly and looked at John. John's face had softened and a sad smile also crossed his face. He sighed and shook his head. "You can't, son," he told Dean softly. "Not yet."

Dean choked on a cheerless laugh. "Not yet?" he said shaking his head. "Were you listening to the winged freak dad? I'm not coming here. I made a deal. It's fire and brimstone for me when I'm gone dad, not this."

"I know," John said as unshed tears filled his eyes. "I've known since you made the deal. They took pleasure in taunting me with every detail."

Sam swallowed hard as a tear streaked down his cheek. He wiped it away angrily without even realizing it. This was all his fault, everything that happened to them in the past, now and in the future was because of him. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

At the quietly spoken words, John and Dean both looked at Sam. "You shouldn't be," Richard told him. "It's not your fault. You were not the one to err. Your mother…,"

"Richard!" John said sharply interrupting the Valkyrie. "Don't!"

Richard turned to John his eyebrow raised and asked, "You would rather he carry around guilt that is not his?"

Sudden understanding rushed through Sam and he paled. Somehow the Valkyrie knew about Mary's involvement in that first visit from the demon. Sam had to make sure that his brother didn't find out. He would not allow Dean to find out that Mary knew the demon. It was obvious that his dad already knew something, probably more then he did but Dean didn't need this. He idolized their mother. She was the one good thing he would always have. Sam would not take that away from his brother. Dean had already given too much he wouldn't make him give this too.

"Not my guilt?" Sam demanded. "It is my guilt! It's my fault that both my brother and my father sacrificed their souls. I wasn't fast enough to kill the demon when I had it in my sights in Salvation? I couldn't kill it in that cabin when my father demanded I do it? I was driving the car when the truck hit us putting Dean into the coma that would have killed him had Dad not made the deal. But that's not all, because then I go and turn my back on an enemy, something I've been trained all my life not to do, and what happened? He stabbed me in the back and killed me forcing my brother to make the same deal my father made!" Sam turned pointed a finger at Richard. "It's my fault, all of it, so don't you say another word about anyone but me being guilty of anything!" He turned and stalked into the forest his long legs quickly taking him away from the pain filled looks on the faces of his father and brother.

"Sam," Dean said running after his brother.

Sam heard Dean following and released a sigh of relief but he didn't slow down. He wanted Dean as far away from Richard as possible. That creature was not going to be allowed to hurt Dean. His brother had already suffered too much and was bound to suffer more for all eternity. For him.

"Sam damn it," Dean shouted "Wait up!"

When he felt they were far enough from the campsite Sam stopped, leaned against a tree and sank heavily down to the ground the tree the only thing holding him up after his heartfelt tirade. He wiped at his face and realized for the first time that he was crying.

"Sam," Dean said catching up to his brother, "I…"

"Don't say it, Dean," Sam said quietly. "I know you don't think it's my fault. I get that but it doesn't stop me from feeling guilty. It doesn't change the facts."

Dean sighed and sank down next to his brother his back to the same tree. He looked out at the dark forest around them. "Well," he said lightly. "You did wreck my car. You should feel guilty for that."

Sam chuckled; trust Dean to pick that out of the entire speech to comment on. "Sorry," he told his brother and wondered how many times he'd already told him.

They sat in silence after that, neither knowing what to say but needing to be near each other, to feel the bond that held them together.

- - - - -

John watched Dean take off after his brother then spun to face the Valkyrie. "You had better be glad that Sam realized what you were about to say and stopped you," he growled getting up in the creatures face. "And if you ever bring it up again I will rip your wings from your back one damn feather at a time. Do you understand me?"

Richard stepped back from the enraged hunter. "I do," he said. "But I don't understand why you would let Sam suffer the guilt. It's not his fault anymore then it is yours or Dean's. It was M…," Richard left the sentence unfinished as John reached for the knife at his belt. "I just don't understand."

"Sam is not the one I'm worried about," John told the Valkyrie. "Dean needs to have something to hold on to, especially now. He clings to his mother's memory. He still tries to be strong, be brave for her. If you take that away from him it might break him."

"But the deal he made was necessary," Richard said. "You told me so yourself. Without that deal Sam's soul would have been forfeit."

"Right now neither of them knows that," John told him. "Sam does not remember what happened when he was killed. He doesn't remember being in hell."

"I still do not understand how Dean's bargain with the demon released Sam from his fate," Richard said.

"Neither do I," John replied. "But trust me all hell broke loose down there when that yellow eyed bastard found out what the crossroad demon had done." John searched the woods in the direction his son's had gone but there was still no sign of their return. He noted their packs on the ground where they'd carelessly tossed them and knew they'd be back. He'd taught them well enough to know not to go into a dangerous situation unarmed and while he knew they had their guns and at least a few knifes each he also knew they wouldn't leave without the items necessary to exorcise the demon from Ben.

Richard saw the direction John's gaze followed. He closed his eyes and used his extra sense to locate the brothers. "They are close," he told John. "They've stopped moving."

John sighed. "I think it would be best if you weren't here when they returned," he told the Valkyrie.

Richard nodded and turned to leave in the opposite direction from the boys.

"Richard," John said just before the Valkyrie disappeared into the forest. "Why did you come here? We weren't supposed to meet again for two days."

"I came to tell you about them," Richard replied. "And let you know that they were successful in exorcising the demon where you failed. You were right. Without a living person performing it the ritual doesn't work."

John nodded. "Then let's hope that they can free Jacob too, because without Jacob we are all doomed and so is Valhalla."

"And without Valhalla," Richard said. "The final battle will be lost because even though Freya preserves the army in Folkvang, If Valhalla fails the army's leaders will not be prepared for the battle and we will loose." Richard left, fading off into the woods before spreading his wings and soaring off into the night.

**A/N - Okay a few more answers and some more lure. But I bet some of you are wondering what the Jack and his people have been up to lately. Well, I'll be getting around to that so don't worry too much, I haven't forgotten about our merry little band from flight 815! Now how about y'all give me a virtual cookie if you like it so far or a rotten tomato if you don't. Click that review button and let me know what you think!**


	14. Locke

_**Disclaimer:** Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

_Okay, this is a very long chapter y'all and I appologise for that but I felt that since a good part of it is taken directly from the 20th episode of Lost, Season Three which at least some of you have seen so it would be okay to make the chapter longer. To avoid confusion I've taken to calling John Locke by his last name except when he's being addressed by one of the other charcters because Ben always called him John while everyone at the 815 camp called him Locke most of the time. Anyway, I tried to keep to the script as much as possible but there were a few places where I played just a bit with what was being done on screen. If I did my job right though you won't even notice it! Have fun and happy reading!_

**Chapter Fourteen **

Locke strode into the Others' camp. The gruesome baggage he carried on his back weighing him down, but it wasn't the weight of the body that bothered him. If anyone had ever deserved to die it was his father. The man was without a conscious and had caused pain and suffering not just to his son, but to so many others as well. What bothered Locke the most was that he had used Sawyer to kill him. 

When Richard had brought him Sawyer's file he was shocked to discover the connection between them. Richard was right, his father had to die so that he could gain Ben's confidence. However, when it had come down to it he couldn't do it, even knowing that his father would be reborn on earth he couldn't bring himself to deliver the fatal blow. The Valkyrie knew what had to be done though so he'd given Locke the file and shown him another way to get the job done.

Locke had tricked Sawyer into following him, telling the con man he'd captured Ben and needed Sawyer to kill him because he couldn't do it. He knew that if he locked Sawyer in the same room with his father. His father, who couldn't keep his mouth shut sometimes, would in some way reveal to Sawyer who he really was. The island would make sure of it.

Locke knew from reading Sawyer's file how much rage the younger man had bottled up inside when it came to the person responsible for the death of his parents. He also knew that he'd killed before. He'd been tricked into believing the man he was shooting was the con man that had caused his father to murder his mother and then turn the gun on himself. Locke realized that when confronted with the truth Sawyer would kill his father for him. He knew it because the island always seemed to be able to provide what was necessary.

He had used Sawyer though and for that he owed the man. Even though it allowed Sawyer to get the revenge that he sought, Locke had still used him. He would find a way to repay his debt, he always did. He didn't like being in someone else's debt so when he dumped the body of his father on the ground at Ben's feet looked at the shorter man and said coldly, "You said that if I killed my father you'd tell me everything I wanted to know about the island. So why don't you start at the beginning."

Locke could feel the malice coming from Ben in waves. The look he gave Locke might have turned away a lesser man but Locke was determined. He needed to find the exact location of Jacob's prison and the only one who knew that was Ben.

The other people in the camp stared at Locke in awe. They believed he was someone special but so far Locke had not been able to determine why they believed it or how he was supposed to be special. Sure, he knew more about the island then most of them did and he was able to see the Valkyries true form, but he still didn't think he was special. It wasn't him it was the island itself.

Ben looked around at his people knowing what they were thinking. Knowing they saw Locke as some sort of savior. Locke had succeeded in killing his father, an important part of that prophecy. He wanted to strangle the man. He wanted to rip the man's limbs from his body, but he couldn't. Not with everyone watching. He needed them to trust him for a little while longer. He needed them to complete his plan and destroy the island they were just as vital to his plan as the people of flight 815.

"Let's go inside," Ben told Locke and led the way into his tent. That sat in the tent talking for some time. Ben had just told Locke about Jacob when a shout sounded from outside the tent. "Where is he?" Ben glared at John then turned and walked out side.

Following Ben, John saw Mikhail, the man he'd sent through the communities sonic fence and thought he'd killed.

"I thought you were dead," Ben said told Mikhail.

"I'm fortunate that the pylons were not set to a lethal level." Mikhail saw John stepping out of Ben's tent. "What is he doing here?"

"It's alright," Ben said thinking to himself, he'll be dead soon.

"He's the one that tried to kill me," Mikhail said.

"He's with us now," Ben told him. "Where have you been Mikhail?"

"I've encountered some of his people in the jungle. They had an injured woman with them. Apparently she had just parachuted onto the island."

"What?" Ben asked.

"Her helo crashed in the water," he told Ben. "She says her ship is approximately 170 clicks to the west of us. She has a radio telephone."

Finally, Ben thought. His plan was now coming down to the final stage. This island would soon be dead ensuring his kinds victory in the final battle. "We'll be visiting their camp day after tomorrow," Ben told him. "We'll take care of it then.

"We need to leave now!" Mikhail demanded.

"Ben's not going anywhere with you," Locke told Mikhail.

"Excuse me?" Mikhail asked.

"He and I are going to see Jacob," Locke replied loud enough for the entire camp to hear. He needed to make sure Ben followed through on what he'd said in the tent and Locke knew that Ben would go out of his way to do what his people thought he should.

The entire camp stood and stared and Ben's eyes grew large as he glared at John.

"Please tell me this isn't true, Benjamin," Mikhail said.

Ben glanced at the people around them. "Sorry, I have to deal with this now, John," he told Locke trying to get out of the deal. "Our excursion will have to wait."

"Since when do you explain yourself to him," Mikhail asked Ben. "An outsider…" He didn't get the chance to finish the question as Locke attacked, hitting him with a head butt directly to the face sending him to the ground. He followed it up with several kicks.

"Tom," Ben said trying to get help for the downed man. When Tom did not respond he looked at the dark haired Valkyrie. "Richard?" Richard too refused to take sides in the affair.

Locke finished with the bloody, unconscious man and turned to Ben, "So when do we leave?" he asked.

- - - - -

It was dark when they arrived at the cabin that served as Jacob's prison. He had been imprisoned for several years now and his temper was far from controllable. Ben was safe though, the god couldn't do anything to harm him. The rules were clear and he would not break them, even in his current state. It was Locke that was in danger inside the cabin. "We're here," he told Locke watching as the man pulled out his flashlight pointing it in the direction of the cabin. "You'll want to turn off your flashlight, John," he said.

"Why?" Locke asked.

"Jacob feels the same way about technology as you do," Ben told him as he removed his pack.

John turned off the flashlight and followed Ben onto the porch. Ben lit a lantern and looked at John.

"Once I open this door there's not turning back," he said. "You sure this is what you want?" Locke smiled and stepped closer his intention clear. "So be it," Ben said a little amazed at the courage (or stupidity) of the man before him. He knew John could feel the power in the air. He was pretty sure that John knew it was evil but the foolish human would not give up his quest. He turned to the door. "Jacob," he said. "I'm here with John Locke. We're coming in now."

Locke entered the cabin and looked around. It was empty, dust coating the table and chairs. Several bottles of red liquid lined the window. Dried plants hung from the rafters and symbols were drawn on the walls in the darkest corners of the cabin. Richard was right. The rituals holding Jacob to the cabin were strong, far stronger then he was going to be able to counter on his own. He had little knowledge in the area of breaking rituals and defeating demons but Richard had told him there was someone on the island that might know how to free him. Locke's job had been to find the cabin and ensure that Jacob was still there.

John watched as Ben conversed with someone who he couldn't see. "Jacob," he said to the empty chair in front of him. "This is John." Ben looked at Ben like he was crazy. Though he suspected the god was really there it wouldn't do for Ben to realize he knew that. "Aren't you going to say hello John?" Ben asked.

"What?" Locke asked.

Ben looked back at the empty chair. "I told you he wouldn't," he told it.

"Who are you talking about?" Locke asked.

"You can't see him?" Ben been replied with a question of his own. "He's sitting right here in this chair."

"What is this?" Locke demanded.

"You wanted the secrets of the island," Ben replied. "Well here they are. This is the man who can answer every single…" Ben stopped suddenly and looked at the chair. "He made me bring him here. Did you think that was my idea?"

"You're crazy," Locke told Ben.

"Excuse me?" Ben said.

"You don't know anything about the island do you?" Locke said. "You made it all up."

Ben turned to the chair. "Jacob, please I can't hear him if you're going to talk over …"

"Shut up!" Locke shouted thinking that if he got Ben angry enough perhaps he'd reveal Jacob so that he could see him too. "You're putting on a show for me or do you believe there's someone there?"

"I know there's someone there," Ben told Locke.

"You don't know anything," Locke replied contempt plain in his voice.

"I'm sorry you feel that way John," Ben told him as Locke walked around the small cabin. "And I'm sorry that you're too limited to see."

"You're pathetic," John told him and turned to leave going so far as to open the door.

"Help me," a voice said behind Locke, a voice that didn't sound like Ben at all.

Locke closed the door and turned around again. "What did you just say?" he asked Ben.

"I didn't say anything," Ben told him confused.

"Oh yes you did," Locke told him brandishing his flashlight. The moment he turned it on things inside the cabin began to move and bag, the door opened and closed, shutters slammed against the wall, the rocking chair began to rock. Locke ducked as glass bottles came flying his way across the room. The lantern fell to the ground and flames lit the cabin. The window's started to shatter.

Ben put his hands and the chair and shouted, "That's enough! You've had your fun!" He was shoved hard away from the chair his back striking the wall behind him.

John opened the door and ran out of the cabin. He was sure now that Jacob was inside. Now all he had to do was get the information to Richard so the Valkyrie could pass the word to the person who could free him.

The cabin grew quiet and Ben came out walking stiffly. He replaced the now unbroken lantern back on the hook outside the door. "What was that in there?" John asked him.

"That was Jacob," Ben replied and this time, John believed him. The sun was just rising as they took to the trail again and headed back to Ben's camp.

- - - - -

John added a few logs to the fire, dug through his son's bags and pulled out their bedding. He arranged their bedrolls in what had, over the years, become their customary sleeping positions when camping. Johns' was set up on one side of the fire, Sam and Dean on the other side with Sam closest to the fire. He put their bags on their bedrolls checked the camps protection symbols then lay down on his roll and closed his eyes.

Sleep was, as usual, almost immediate in coming, a trick he'd learned in the military. He woke, but didn't move when the boys returned and he sighed quietly in relief when they lay down on their bedrolls instead of packing them up. He allowed himself a small smile before he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep again.

The sun was just beginning to peek over the trees when Sam woke. He stoked the fire back to life, discovered that his father had a camp coffee pot a package of coffee. Thinking he was going to have to ask his father where he got his supplies, he filled the pot with water and set it on the fire to heat. There were several fruit trees in the area and he spent some time gathering a selection of their bounty for breakfast. John was pouring a cup of caffeine and Dean was just beginning to stir when he arrived back at camp.

John handed a cup to Sam and asked, "So does this mean the two of you are going to help me with Jacob or are we going after Mary first?"

It was Dean that replied startling both of them. "We'll help you get Jacob, but then we're going after Ben and we are going save Mom," he said sitting up and taking the cup of coffee out of Sam's hands before his brother could move it out of his reach. "We stick together this time, Dad," he said with conviction. "No splitting up. That didn't end well the last time and I won't let it happen again."

John looked at his oldest son and he was filled with pride. Pride not just for the decision his son had just made, but for the man he had become. The men they both had become. Despite being raised the way they had been both his son's had turned out to be men that anyone would be proud to call son. He didn't deserve them and he wondered, not for the first time, what he'd done to have received the gift of having two such wonderful children.

John knew they did not remember any of their past lives but he did and he was awed by these two men who he called sons. Both had lived hundreds of lives and in all their past lives neither of them had ever been on the wrong side much less done anything that could be deemed corrupt in any way. He on the other hand had made many such mistakes. He decided it was that portion of Mary's soul, not his that they received when they were born that made them what they were. His soul was tarnished, not horribly so, but still stained.

He swallowed, turning away so they wouldn't see him blink away the water that had suddenly gathered in his eyes. Then he looked from Dean to Sam and back again. "I wouldn't have it any other way," he finally replied.

Sam and Dean looked at each other briefly in surprise, two sets of eyebrows rising simultaneously. John smiled knowing they were having a difficult time understanding the changes in him but that was okay. They'd understand some day, a long time from now he hoped, when they came back to the island the right way. Of course first he had to get them off the island.

"Good," Dean said with a quick nod of his head at his father. Then he turned to his brother who had just poured himself a new cup of coffee, grinned and asked, "Hey Sammy, what's for breakfast?"

- - - - -

Ben and Locke had been traveling for several hours when Ben turned to Locke and asked, "What did you hear in there John? What did Jacob say to you?"

"He didn't say anything," John replied not wanting Ben to know the truth. "You did."

"What are you talking about?" Ben asked.

"There is no Jacob, Ben. I'm not going to be taken in by your little show you put on last night," he replied. "You're a fraud and your people deserve to know the truth." He looked around at the unfamiliar forest. "And this is not the way we came."

"I'm taking us back another way," Ben told him. "I wanted to show you something first."

"I've seen enough," Locke told him and turned to walk away.

"I wasn't born on this island," Ben told Locke. "You're right, I lied."

"Then where did you come from?" Locke asked.

"That's what I want to show you," Ben told him and led him off down the trail.

A few minutes later John was staring into a hole in the ground. A hole filled with bodies, both human and Valkyries. John was shocked at the sheer number of Valkyries that were in the open grave and he now knew why Richard, Juliet and Ben were the only one's he'd seen since they'd arrived. He was so shocked at the sight that he almost didn't hear Ben's last statement. "I was the smart one. I didn't end up in the pit," Ben told him. "Which makes me considerably smarter then you."

- - - - -

They were climbing steadily higher on the island and as far as Sam could tell their dad wasn't following a path or trail of any kind. That meant he knew where they were going. All three of them stopped, crouching down into the shelter of the brush as a shot rang out in the distance. A clatter of birds took wing away from the sudden noise giving them a more exact position of the shooter. It was almost directly in path they were taking.

Sam and Dean looked to John. No words were spoken as their father motioned to them that they would investigate. It was another five minutes before John indicated they were moving out.

As they moved silently though the dense jungle Sam became more and more uneasy. It was as though he could feel the evil in the air. And it was moving steadily towards them. He stopped suddenly motioning for his brother and his father to take cover and hide. He didn't know what was coming there way, but it felt like pure evil. He'd felt this kind of malice before and even though the Yellow Eyed Demon was dead he knew this was something just as vile.

John and Dean were both uneasy. They too had sensed the thing that approached them so it came as no surprise when Sam stopped and motioned them both to take cover. Over the course of the years both had come to respect Sam's innate ability to know when something was wrong or, as in this case, evil. Only John, however, knew what it was that approached them.

All three of them watched from their respective hiding places as a very unassuming man came into view on the path. His short, slim stature, round glasses and walking cane didn't fool any of them as he passed within inches of their hiding spots. The withered wings held tightly to his back were all but useless. Dark blood stained the once white feathers giving them an almost ghoulish look. The Winchester men all held their breath when he paused briefly looking around quickly before continuing on his way.

John didn't give his boys time to even consider going after Ben. As soon as the demonically possessed Valkyrie had passed out of range he silently took to the trail making sure Sam and Dean followed. They continued on their way to where they'd heard the shot. All of them now knew who had pulled the trigger. What remained to be seen thoug was they could save his victim.

Their pace increased as they continued up the steep incline the forest around them was getting thicker. Vines coated the trees in bands as thick as a man's arms. The underbrush was tall making there travel more and more difficult. The tree's over head formed a thick canopy that nearly blocked out the afternoon sun and cast dark shadows on the ground below.

The brightness of the mid-morning sun was nearly blinding as they stepped out of the gloomy forest into a small clearing. Dean was the first to spot the pit opposite their position but all of them heard the unmistakable sounds of someone taking sharp painful breaths.

John nodded in approval as his sons drew their weapons and moved into position, one on each side of the pit. His own weapon drawn John stayed back and covered them. He was scanning the tree line when he heard Sam say, "John?" It took a half a second for John to realize his son wasn't talking to him but to someone in the pit. He watched both his boys put the safety back on their weapons and put the away. Dean jumped into the pit and Sam bent to reach in and help the person in the pit out.

"Dad," Sam called over his shoulder. "You're going to want to see this."

Walking to the edge John looked inside. "Dear God," he said.

**A/N - Well... how was it? Am I still keeping you interested? Click the button and let me know!**


	15. Whisky and other important things

_**Disclaimer:** Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

_Another long chapter with some of it taken directly from the last few episodes of Lost. I do realize I'm not sticking exactly with the Lost time line on some of it but I needed a little elasticity in that area. The facts though remain the same._

**Chapter Fifteen:**

Sawyer returned to the beach camp. He was deep in thought as he searched the camp for someone he could trust with the information he now possessed. Everyone he thought to tell though were gone. Desmond, Charlie and Claire were there and a lot of the other survivors that he pretty much ignored, but there was no sign of Jack, Sayid, Jinn or even the big guy Hurley. Charlie and Desmond were standing outside one of the tent's talking quietly.

"Hey Meriadoc," he said too Charlie. "Where is everybody?"

Charlie jumped and spun around to face Sawyer a surprised look on his face. "Sawyer," Charlie said. "You scared the bloody hell out of me."

Rolling his eyes Sawyer asked again, "Jack? Sayid? Kate? Names sound familiar Shorty?"

"They're gone," Charlie told him.

"I know they're gone," Sawyer said. "I can see that. Where did they go?"

"Kate and Sayid followed Sam and Dean when they left," Charlie told him.

"Well what about Jack or Jinn and Sun?" Sawyer asked.

"They left too," Charlie replied.

"I can see that, Devito," Sawyer replied beginning to get frustrated. "Where'd they go?"

"Sam came back yesterday afternoon. He said they were attacked by that… thing in the forest and they needed Jack," Charlie told him.

"That didn't take long. I knew those two weren't gonna make long here," Sawyer replied.

"It wasn't them," Charlie told him. "It was Sayid. When the thing attacked they saved him, but he's hurt bad."

"They fought it?" Sawyer asked shocked.

"Apparently," Charlie replied.

"Well when are they coming back?" Sawyer asked.

"I don't know," Charlie replied.

"I'd say about now," Desmond said motioning off towards the edge of camp.

They all turned in time to see the others returning to the camp. They all appeared exhausted. Jack and Hurley were carrying a stretcher where Sayid lay unmoving. Kate, Sun and Jinn broke off from the group, Jinn and Sun going to their tent and Kate to her own.

Charlie and Sawyer went to where Hurley and Jake were setting the stretcher down outside the injured man's tent. "Is he going to live?" Charlie asked Jack.

Sayid opened his eyes and looked around. "I hope so," he replied.

"What happened?" Sawyer asked glaring at Juliet.

"The thing in the forest," Jack answered as he lifted the bandages that covered Sayid's chest. Jack furrowed his eyebrows as he gazed intently at the man's wounds.

Sayid tried to sit up. "I'm fine," he told Jack.

Jack gently pushed the other man back down. "Not yet Sayid," he said. "Let me examine them again."

Sayid lay back down with a sigh. "I'm okay, Jack," he said. "Really, I am."

When he lifted the bandages Jack was surprised to find Sayid's injuries well along in their healing. In fact it looked like the wounds had happened several days ago, not several hours. Jack shook his head unable to explain the phenomenon. He checked the man's eyes and found them both to be responsive. He turned to Juliet a questioning look on his face.

"Injuries heal faster on this island," she said to his unasked question. "I don't know why but if the wound doesn't kill the person then they heal practically overnight. It's something we've never been able to find a satisfactory explanation for."

"Jack," Sayid said. "I am fine. It didn't even hurt when you began poking around this time."

"Alright," Jack said. "But don't overexert yourself, Sayid." Jack left with Juliet close behind.

Once it was clear that Sayid would be alright, Hurley went directly to his tent looked around quickly and then entered.

"We have some things to discuss," Sawyer said to Sayid.

- - - - -

John looked down into the pit and was shocked at the number of Valkyrie bodies that were in it. "What happened?" he asked not really expecting an answer.

"Ben killed them," replied the injured man Dean was helping out of the hole.

John shook his head closing his eyes briefly and tossing out a silent prayer for all those dead.

"That thing is so going to pay for this," Dean said as Sam pulled Locke the rest of the way out of the pit and helped him lay down on the ground as gently as possible.

"What happened, Locke?" Sam asked Locke indicating his injury as he opened the duffle bag containing their first aid kit.

"I don't think Ben likes me very much," Locke replied painfully.

Dean climbed out of the pit and knelt next to the prone man. "Sammy, give me the bottle," he told his brother. Sam reached into their bag and pulled out a small bottle of whisky and handed it to Dean who used it to clean his hands.

"Boys," John said looking pointedly at Locke.

"Oh, yeah, sorry dad," Sam said. "Uh, John Locke, this is our Dad. John Winchester."

"The John Winchester?" Locke asked his eyes wide. "The same John Winchester who killed the Blair Witch?"

Dean rolled his eyes and smirked but kept silent as he examined the gunshot wound Locke had sustained. Sam however was not so silent. "The Blair Witch?" he asked. "That was you dad?"

John shrugged. "Me and Bobby," he replied. Then he asked Locke, "How'd you hear about it?"

"Helen," he replied. "She was… a friend who was into the supernatural. She used to tell me these wild tales about people she called Hunters. I figured it was all just stories until I came here."

"This is going to hurt like a bitch, Locke," Dean told Locke as he prepared to sterilize the man's injury by pouring Whiskey directly on it.

"Dean, wait," John said stopping his son. He walked over to the nearest tree, pulled off a branch slightly thicker then his thumb and broke off an eight inch piece. He handed it to Locke and indicated he should put it in his mouth to bite down on. "Sam hold his legs, I'll get his shoulders."

Once both of them were in place Dean looked at Locke and waited until he nodded before pouring a liberal amount of the whiskey directly onto the wound. Locke's back arched and he screamed painfully as he bit down on the branch John had given him. Within seconds he was out cold from the pain.

Quickly before Locke woke up Dean gave the wound a closer inspection and shook his head. "He is one lucky son of a bitch," he said out loud. "The bullet lodged in his ribcage. Sammy, give me the clamp out of the kit."

Sam and John watched silently as Dean pulled the bullet free. Inspecting it as he pulled it out he scoffed and said, "No wonder. It's a nine millimeter. If it had been a forty five he'd have been toast."

John watched as his sons, working together, cleaned and sutured the wound. Locke was just beginning to come around as they bandaged it. Sam used some more of the Whiskey to clean their equipment before returning it to their kit. "Who is he?" John asked.

"Locke is one of Jack's people from flight 815," Sam said. "We don't know much about him. We only saw him for a few minutes."

"Yeah," Dean said. "But while we were waiting for you and Jack to return Kate told me that Locke had gone over to Ben's side."

"I had to," Locke replied quietly having woken up during the conversation. "Richard was convinced it was the only way to find out for sure where Ben's keeping Jacob."

"Well that plan seems to have backfired," John replied.

"Not really," Locke replied. "I take it you were the one he was going to have break Jacob out?"

"That was the plan," John told him. "Richard gave me some general coordinates and was going to get back with me about the exact location once you'd done you part. Now it looks like we're going to have to do a grid search until we find it."

"No you won't," Locke told him. "Ben took me there first. I can show you where it is."

"Jacob was there?" John asked.

"I believe so," Locke replied. "I couldn't see him, but he spoke to me."

"What did he say?" Dean asked.

"Help me," Locke replied.

"Sam, Dean," John said glancing at the boys. "Set up camp."

"Yes, sir," they replied in unison. It was only early afternoon but they both knew the a good portion of the day would be spent discussing what Locke had seen and working out a plan to get thought the defenses of Jacob's prison.

- - - -

Juliet and Jack sat near the beach eating a meal of dried ham and fruit. "Missing those cheeseburgers yet?" Jack asked her.

"Only every second," Juliet replied.

"Hey," Kate said coming around a bend in the shoreline. "I need to talk to you."

"Okay," Jack said.

"In private," Kate told him.

"No problem," Juliet said about to stand up.

"Anything you want to say to me, you can say in front of her," Jack told Kate.

"Not this," Kate replied.

"It's okay," Juliet said.

"No, no, no," Jack told her preventing her from rising with a hand on her knee. "You can stay."

Frustrated Kate looked at Juliet and said, "Yeah, you know what you should stay. It seems only fair considering she's the reason no one wants to tell you there's a woman in Hurley's tent who parachuted onto the island yesterday."

"What?" Jack asked.

"A woman she jumped from her chopper before it crashed. She says that the boat that she took off from is about eighty miles off the coast and that if she can find a way to contact it we'll all be rescued."

"Why didn't anyone tell me this?" Jack asked.

"Nobody told you because they don't trust you," Kate replied sadly.

Jack looked at Juliet who stared back at him then he turned to Kate and asked, "How?"

"How what?" Kate asked confused.

"How is she supposed to contact her boat?" Jack asked.

"Did you hear what I just said?" She demanded. "Hurley, Charlie, Sayid… your friends are afraid to…"

"Kate!" Jack interrupted her. "How?"

"She had a phone radio thing," Kate told him. "Sayid's trying to get it to work."

"We should tell her," Juliet said cryptically.

"No," Jack replied.

"Tell me what?" Kate asked.

"We should tell her," Juliet repeated.

"Not yet," Jack told Juliet as he stood and with one more glance at Kate walked away.

- - - - -

Jack and Juliet had disappeared from camp soon after Kate informed them of the woman in Hurley's tent. No one knew where they'd gone or when they'd return. The other members of flight 815's camp were gathered around the camps pantry area having all just been introduced to the camps newest member Naomi.

Naomi had explained to them about her boat, radio phone and of course that fact that they were all declared dead. It was the latter that caught the attention of most of the people around her.

"So what?" Claire asked. "The whole world thinks we're dead?"

"That's not important right now," Sayid replied leaning heavily against a tree.

"Not important?" Sun said.

"What do you mean it's not important?" Claire asked.

"Excuse me?" Naomi said. "I'm sorry don't you people want to be rescued?"

"We kept her a secret to keep her safe," Sayid told the others.

"Safe from what?" Kate asked.

"Safe from Jack," Sayid told her. He didn't like it, but he no longer fully trusted Jack even though Jack had used his medical training to save him. "He spent a week with the others and he brought one of them back with him. Here amongst us and every time we try to get answers from this woman he prevents her from giving them."

"But its Jack," Sun said. "He would never do anything to hurt us. And Juliet, I believe she is a good person."

"Good person, huh?" Sawyer asked. "You're basing that on what? It wouldn't have anything to do with her taking you to one of their medical stations now would it Mrs. Kwon?"

"How did you…" Sun began to ask.

Before she could finish her question Sawyer raised the recorder and pressed play. Everyone listened silently stunned as they heard Juliet's voice. "Kwon is pregnant. The fetus is healthy and was conceived on island by her husband. He was sterile before they got here. I'm still working on getting samples from the other women. I should have Austin's soon. I'll report back when I know more."

"Where'd you get that?" Jack asked startling everyone as he and Juliet walked into the crowed.

"Where have you been Jack? Sayid asked.

"I asked you where you got it," Jack repeated ignoring Sayid's question.

"You're in no position to be asking us questions," Sawyer told Jack.

"Turn the tape over," Juliet said.

"Stay out of it," Sawyer told her coldly.

"You want to burn me at the steak, here I am," Juliet told him. "But first turn the tape over and press play."

Sawyer reluctantly did as she asked and found them listening to Ben's reply. "Juliet, it's Ben. I'm sending three teams to extract Kwon the night after tomorrow. We won't have time to run Austin's sample so if you think she or any one else is pregnant mark their tents and we'll take them too. Good luck."

Juliet turned to Kwon and said. "The night I saw your baby on the ultrasound I told Jack what they were making me do."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Sayid asked Jack.

"Because I hadn't decided what to do about it yet," Jack told him.

"Yet?" Sayid asked.

Jack looked around the camp catching the eye of each member of the group. "I think we've got some catching up to do," he told them.

- - - - -

"Are you sure you want to do this?" John asked Locke quietly not wanting to wake Sam and Dean who were still sleeping. They had decided it would be prudent to have someone on watch this close to their goal. They knew it was very possible that Ben's other demon friend would be close to Jacob's prison guarding it. John had taken the last shift, early morning to sunrise when they'd planed on leaving.

"I think I have to," Locke to him.

"I just don't think it's a good idea for you to go after Ben alone," John told him. "You're not trained to handle something like him."

"He shot me, left me for dead," Locke replied. "Besides, Richard will be close and Ben won't do anything in front of his people. He still needs them to believe in him."

"I don't like it," John told Locke. John didn't mention the fact that Locke had just been shot. They both knew it but they also that the island was speeding his recovery.

"You don't have to like it," Locke replied. "But I have to do this."

John sighed and nodded as he reached into his bag and pulled out a knife. "Here," John said flipping it over and offering handle first to Locke. "Take this."

Lock took the offered knife and gazed at it taking in the intricate carvings on both the handle and the blade.

"It was specially made by a friend of mine," John told him. "It won't kill a demon, but it'll hurt them." John also tossed him a small bottle. "That's holy water it's like poison to them."

Locke pulled his knife out of its sheath handed it to John and replaced it with the one John had given him. "Here," he told John standing up and shouldering his pack. "It's not as valuable as the one you gave me, but it might come in handy."

John took the knife and shook the other man's hand. "Good luck Locke," he said.

"You too, John," Locke replied as he turned and headed off into the woods following Ben's trail.

"Sam, Dean," John said waking his son's. "Time to get up boys, we have work to do."

**A/N - Another long chapter and I apologize for it taking so long to finish. There's something about dealing with a killer migraine headache tends to slow the creative processes down a tad bit. Go ahead... click on that review button and let me know how the stories coming along. Like it? Don't? Why? Oh, and anything else you can think off too! **


	16. Fire and Brimstone

_**Disclaimer:** Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

_Sorry to all you Lost fans but this chapter is pure Winchester in content. _

**Chapter Sixteen**

The Winchesters followed the tracks left by Ben and Locke. The pair had made no effort to cover their tracks and an amateur could have followed the trail.

It was just a short while into their trek when Sam and Dean both stopped suddenly their eyes widening in surprise at what they saw just ahead of them. "This can't be good," Dean said and glanced at Sam who stood staring at the sight his eyes wide. He turned to his father and asked, "Any idea's how we're supposed to get past this?"

John looked at his son's in confusion. "Get past what?" he asked.

Both boys now turned to him their eyebrows raised in surprise. "Uh, the huge wall of flames twenty feet in front of us, dad," Dean told him pointing at the wall of blue-orange flames that extended as far as he could see to the left and right of them.

"Dean," Sam said turning his brother's attention to him. "It's not a normal fire."

John's eyes narrowed as he looked where his son pointed. At first he didn't see anything. Then he looked closer at the ground and saw a foot wide line of some dark substance on the ground that extended as far as the eye could see curving off into a crescent away from them.

"Ya, think!" Dean replied to his brother.

"None of the trees are catching on fire," Sam said gazing at the inferno. "There's no heat coming from it and it smells like…"

"Sulfur," John finished for him advancing towards the flames.

"Dad," Sam cautioned. "I wouldn't…"

"It's okay son," he replied. "You two stay where you are."

John walked up to the dark line, bent down and picked up a handful of the dark grainy material wincing slightly as he did. He brought it close enough to smell before letting it drift back down to the ground.

Sam and Dean watched in awe as their father reached into the fire and seemingly grabbed it with his hand and didn't get burned. They looked at each other when he brought the flames close to his face, smelled it then opened his hand. The fire seemed to dribble from his grip in small dots of flame that fell to the ground and joined with the larger blaze. When they saw the flames had no effect on him both boys walked in the direction of their father.

"Stop!" John ordered his boys who complied immediately. "How the hell did they get this here?" he muttered to himself as he began wiping at the black stuff trying to clear a path. When that didn't work he dug deeper into it but no matter how far he burrowed he couldn't clear a corridor for the boys to pass through.

Getting over the shock of seeing their father literally pick up and handle fire Sam asked, "What is it dad?"

"Yeah," Dean added. "And why the hell isn't it burning you?"

"Its brimstone," John told them. "And it can't burn me because I don't really have a body on this island. You two, however, are here body and soul. It would kill you."

Sam and Dean looked at each other again and took a step back away from the flames. "Dad I thought brimstone was just another name for sulfur?" Sam said.

John gave up his attempt to plow a path through the brimstone. "Not exactly," he replied turning to face his sons. "Sulfur is the ash left over after brimstone burns completely."

"How did you know what it was?" Dean asked.

"I spent a little time down south, remember," he told Dean with a grin.

Dean's face paled and his head hung. "Yeah, I…"

"Don't Dean," John told him. "I'd do it again for either one of you." When Dean didn't reply he continued, "Look at me son."

Dean lifted his eyes and met his fathers' concerned gaze.

"It was my choice," he told his son. "Just as it was your choice to save your brother from the same fate." He looked at Sam and continued. "I know you don't remember what happened after you were killed," he told his youngest. "You were with me. What happened to you when you were a baby, what Azazel did to you, it damned your soul. Dean saved you. That deal he made didn't just bring you back. It freed you from hell."

Sam swallowed audibly as unshed tears filled his eyes. He looked at Dean who was smiling at him with that 'I told you so' smirk on his face. He didn't trust his voice, so he nodded instead.

"It seems that my trip down under was also a learning experience for what's happening now," He said shaking his head. "This island really does provide whatever is needed."

"Are you saying this island had something to do with your deal?" Dean asked.

John thought about it for a few seconds. "No," he replied. "But I'd be willing to bet it had something to do with the opening of the hells gate that allowed me to escape and return here."

"Opening that gate set hundreds of demons free on earth," Dean said.

"I know son," John replied. "But if this island fails none of that will matter anyway."

"How do we get past the brimstone, dad?" Sam asked after gathering his emotions back in check.

"I don't know son," John told him.

"I don't get it," Dean said to his father. Sam snorted. "Shut up," Dean told him good naturally.

"What?" John asked.

"The brimstone didn't burn you," Dean replied. "Why would hell be full of fire and brimstone if it has no effect on the people that are there?"

"Hell is not full of brimstone," John told his son. "It's protected by it."

"Come again?" Dean said his eyebrows popping up.

"The reason people associate fire and brimstone with hell is because it's used to keep the living out," John told him.

"Well then what keeps the demons and condemned souls in?" Sam asked.

"God does," John replied.

"Well he's sure sleeping on the job," Dean scoffed. "If he keeps them in why are there so many running around loose on the world?"

"Because of his agreement with, the Nephilim," Sam replied thoughtfully.

"Huh?" Dean asked.

"God agreed to allowed ten percent of the demons to stay on earth in spirit form to try to lead the human race astray," Sam told him. Dean just looked at his brother. Sam rolled his eyes at Deans unspoken question and said. "Its from the Bible Dean. Jubilees I think."

Dean glanced at his father who was nodding in acceptance of what Sam had told them. "So what, does that mean there's always going to be demons on earth?"

"Yes," John told him. "And there's always going to be hunters too."

"Why do we bother?" Dean asked shaking his head. "If ten percent of all the demons in hell are always going to be on earth why should we even try to kill them or send them back?"

"It's not about the demons son," John told him. "It's about the people we save from the demons."

Dean ran a palm down his face and looked from his father to his brother and back again. "Okay, while this is interesting it's not helping us get past that huge wall of flames. Any ideas on how we're going to do that?"

"How does brimstone work," Sam asked his father.

"I don't know exactly, but Azazel once referred to it as a substance of pure evil," John replied.

"Would salt work on it then?" Dean asked. "Salt repels evil and it puts out fires so maybe…"

"You have some?" John asked.

"Yeah, something my pop once taught me," he replied with a grin. "Salt, never leave home without it."

"Pop?" Sam mouthed silently to his brother as he dug the tin of salt out of the duffle bag and handing it to his father.

"Pop?" John asked in mock annoyance. "Call me Pop again and I'm going to personally teach you a few new ways to cause as much pain as possible without killing your opponent." John walked over to the brimstone and poured a small amount on top of it.

"Whoa," Dean said as the flames turned an angry yellow red and diminished slightly where John had poured the salt.

"I think it's working dad," Sam said.

John poured more salt onto the brimstone spreading it with his hands to cover a three foot length of the foul smelling substance.

Watching John work with the salt reminded Dean of when Sawyer had poured it onto his hand and tasted it. He could understand the nasty taste comment because rock salt had an off flavor from normal iodized table salt, but there was one thing he didn't understand. "Why is it, that you can handle the salt?" he asked. "Sawyer, one of Jacks people did too. Shouldn't it be painful for you to touch?"

"No," John told his son.

"Why not?" Sam asked wondering the same thing.

"Because we're not spirits," John replied. "Salt repels impure things like ghosts and demons. It has no effect on a human soul."

Sam and Dean looked at each other. "I knew that," Dean told Sam as he watched the flames die in the section of brimstone that John was working on.

"You did not," Sam scoffed at his brother.

"Yeah," Dean told him picking up the duffle bag and preparing to continued their journey. "I totally did."

Sam rolled his eyes as he followed his father and brother across the salt covered brimstone and took up the up the trail again. 

**A/N - So... did you like this chapter? Click that button and let me know! -- pouts Please grins**


	17. Odin Jacob

_**Disclaimer:** Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

_Well, turnabout's fair play. Our boys are in this one, but not as much as the last chapter. _

**Chapter Seventeen:**

Odin paced the cabin stopping periodically to glare at the powerful symbols traced into the wood of the four corners of the building. The Nephilim that had imprisoned him had certainly done its research. There was no way he could break those sigils without destroying the island he was here to protect. The only one on the island who could do it was the one who'd imprisoned him, none of the other occupants of Valhalla would be able to touch them. He was well and truly caught and while the fallen angel could not kill him without sacrificing his own life, there was no limit to how long it could keep him imprisoned here.

He reached out with his consciousness and one by one touched the four remaining Valkyries on the island. He couldn't communicate with them and he wasn't sure if they could feel his presence but he could tell that they were all still alive. He had once tried to reach the Valkyrie that Ben had possessed the same way. The pain and mental anguish that radiated from it were so horrible that Odin had hit his knees from the shared pain.

Physically and mentally drained from checking on his children Odin sat in one of the cabin's chairs. This time he didn't even try to push back the depression that struck him after each such venture. Instead, he embraced it, recalling memories of his wife and children. Most of their children were gone, destroyed by the Nephilim, Azkeel, that now inhabited his oldest son's body. He prayed that his wife had not been similarly captured.

It seemed like forever since he'd held her in his arms and he missed her. Centuries ago they had accepted the job of training and preserving the souls of the dead warriors who would one day fight the battle of Ragnarok. They had been young and full of righteousness and while the task meant that they must live apart and see each other seldomly they had agreed to it. Now he wondered if it was worth it.

With a deep sigh he put his head in his hands knelt sending a prayer to the highest God to protect and care for his wife and what remained of his family. He had quit adding a prayer for his own escape a almost decade ago.

Odin had been imprisoned for nearly a quarter of a century. Almost all of that time he was alone in this cabin. The Nephilim would occasionally come and speak with him, usually to torment him with stories of the atrocities it had committed. Occasionally, like yesterday, it would bring one of the islands' warriors to him. It would present them to him as though they could see him, though both of them knew the warrior could not.

It wasn't for the warriors that he did this. It was to flaunt its power over them and over him. The warrior brought before him yesterday was one of the islands oldest souls. One of the dozen warriors that had been chosen to be a general in the final battle. Twice before Azkeel had brought one of the chosen to him. He had then destroyed the generals, not just killing them, but destroying them so they could not be reborn.

This time, Odin had interceded and used all of his abilities to call out to the warrior to help him. Both he and Azkeel had been shocked when Locke had heard him. Locke had fled during the short battle that ensued between Azkeel and Odin. But the Lord of Valhalla was sure that his general had gotten the message. He was here, he needed help. Once Locke had left, Odin had backed down from the fight, afraid of what using too much power would do to the island.

Azkeel had promised retribution for Odin's act of defiance vowing to destroy not just Locke, but the two other generals that currently occupied the island. He told Odin about John and Mary, two more of his generals, vowing to destroy them also. "Before he dies though,"Azkeel had said before stalking out of the cabin. "John will suffer for his part in destroying my brother Azazel."

When Azkeel was gone Odin had sent himself into a trance and sought the consciousness of the island. He warned it to protect the three generals. Then the consciousness that is Valhalla had done something it had never done before. It replied. It made him understand, not with words but with feelings. Help was on the way.

- - - - -

Jack and Juliet led a number of the survivors through the jungle on the morning after the gathering. When they crossed a large field of overgrown grass Jack stopped the group close to the other side of the clearing. "We're here," Jack announced and waited for the group to gather around close enough to hear him. "A couple of nights ago," he said. "Juliet came to me and she told me everything. That Ben had sent her here to find out which of our women were pregnant."

"So what?" Kate asked. "You guys were doing tests on us?"

"No," Juliet replied. "But that's what he wanted me to do. I've been leaving tapes at the medical station. You all heard what he said. They're coming tomorrow." She made eye contact with Sun and continued. "Sun, I'm sorry that I lied to you."

"While I appreciate your honesty Jack," Sayid said. "It doesn't explain why you brought us out here."

Jack nodded, turned and faced the forest. "Danielle," he shouted. Everyone turned as Danielle walked out of the forest. "Show them," Jack told her removing his backpack.

Without a word Danielle lifted a heavily leaved branch revealing a battery. She attached a pair of wires then touched two of the wires together. Across the field a tree burst into flames and exploded knocking it to the ground in a large ball of flames and dust. Everyone jumped taking several steps back.

"When Juliet told me they were coming," Jack said facing the crowd of survivors. "The first thing I thought was 'where the hell are we going to hide this time.'" He shook his head and continued. "Hiding's pointless. They're just going to keep coming back. So I went out and I found some help. And for the past few days she's been bringing dynamite back from the Black Rock." His voice rose. "For the very first time we know exactly what they want, when they're coming to get it and they have no idea that we're going to be waiting for them." He looked around the now quiet group. "So Juliet's going to mark the tents with white rock, just like she was told to do. But there's not going to be any pregnant women inside. There's going to be plenty of what we just used on that tree. So tomorrow night we stop hiding. We stop running. We stop living in fear of them. Because when they show up we're going to blow them all to hell."

- - - - -

John and the boys continued to follow the trail left by Ben and Locke. The forest grew darker, not because the sun was setting, but because the forest was over gown with vines and other foliage. It became so thick in some places they almost needed to pull out their flashlights, but no matter how thick the brush was, the trail continued. It soon became apparent that they were following a well worn path.

Twenty minutes later the trail suddenly cleared revealing a dark cabin. Vines climbed the cabin on all sides. Symbols and sigils were caved in the wood of the building. The old wooden structure looked like it would fall down if a stiff breeze were to blow through the area. The path led directly to the door of the cabin.

Sam stepped onto the cabin's porch, the old wood creaking at the weight. John followed reaching for the lantern that hung beside the door. "These are watcher sigils," Sam said reaching out to touch the pattern closest to him.

"Sam don't!" Dean said scrambling onto the porch to try and stop his brother. He was too late.

Sam screamed in pain as his hand came into contact with the sign. Where his hand touched the symbol it felt like fire was burning into his flesh leaving nothing but shriveled burnt meat in it's wake. He tried to pull away from the wall but his hand would not move. Then Dean was there his hand covering Sam's trying to pull it away from the powerful sigil. Sam's knee's buckled but John caught him, holding him still while Dean tried to free him.

Dean couldn't believe his brother would make such a mistake. How could he not have seen the power in the sign as it shown brightly on the wall of the cabin. He tried to pull his brother's hand away from the wall but it wouldn't budge. He tried tearing at the old wood but nothing was working.

In frustration he beat his fist against the wall of the cabin cutting his knuckles open in the process. Small stains of blood splattered the symbol and everywhere they touched the sign was dulled, the brightness dimming in the wake of his blood. Taking his knife from his belt Dean sliced his palm open drawing more blood. He placed his hand on the sign smearing his blood on it in a thick hand shaped pattern using his own blood to cross each line of the sigil.

With a bright flash that left Dean night blind the glow went out of the symbol and Sam fell away from the wall unconscious. Grabbing a bandanna out of his pocket he wrapped his hand as John lifted Sammy in his arms cradling his overgrown son and carrying him a short distance away from the cabin.

Dean knelt on one side of Sam as John knelt on the other. John lifted Sam's hand and examined it. Parts of the palm was burned black, the parts that had actually touched the symbol. "Aw, Damn it Sammy," Dean muttered to his unconscious brother as he pulled out their first aid kit. "You know better then to touch a power symbol burning that brightly. What were you thinking!"

John's brows furrowed at Dean's statement. He looked at the wall of the building then back at his oldest son. "What are you talking about?" He asked taking the holy water Dean handed him and pouring it onto Sam's injured palm.

"That sigil," Dean said as they worked. "Sam should have known better then to touch something glowing as bright as that thing was."

John stopped and looked at Dean and shook his head. "It wasn't glowing," he told his son. "It looks just as dark now as it did when Sam touched it."

Dean's eyebrow popped up at his father's statement. "But I saw it," he told his father.

Further discussion on the topic was halted when Sam tossed his head and started to wake up. "What happened?" he asked his voice a bare whisper.

"You decided to take a nap while on the job," Dean scoffed as he helped his brother into a sitting position. "But now, I think we should take a breather and think this through a little more cautiously before we try getting to close to that cabin again.

**A/N - Well? Things are begining to take shape now, the real battle has begun. I hope you all are having as much fun reading this as I am writing it! **


	18. The power of Blood

_**Disclaimer:** Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

_Well, turnabout's fair play. Our boys are in this one, but not as much as the last chapter. _

**Chapter Eighteen:**

Ben was furious that Jacob had somehow been able to make Locke hear him. He would have to return to the cabin at a later time and strengthen the spells keeping him in his prison, unseen and unheard by everyone but him. A savage grin split his face though at the thought of Locke rotting in the same pit that the rest of the Valkyries and the warrior's he'd destroyed.

He wished he could send the four remaining Valkyries to join him, but he still needed them and as long as they were cooperating he would let them live. Alex was going to be a problem though and he just might have to get rid of her sooner then he'd planned. The little bitch had given Locke her gun, to use against him! She was going to pay for that. He was going to make sure! The only reason she was still alive was to keep the Valkyrie he was possessing under control.

These creatures weren't like humans. They were difficult, nearly impossible in fact, to possess for any length of time without their cooperation. She was the reason he was cooperating. Once he killed her the Valkyrie would fight him and might be able to kick him out of its body.

He stormed back into camp, walking past his daughter not intending to speak with her, but Alex saw her father and looked around for Locke. When she didn't see him she asked, "Hey, when'd you get back?"

"Just now," Ben told her.

"Where's Locke?" she asked.

Instead of replying to her question he reached behind his back and pulled out the gun he'd placed there. "Here's your gun back," he told her angrily and she knew he done something horrible again.

"Ben," Richard asked stepping up to them. "What's going on?"

"Where's Ryan," Ben asked Richard.

"He's at his tent," Richard replied then asked. "Are you alright?" He wasn't really concerned about the demon possessed Valkyrie but had to keep up his appearances around the members of Ben's group.

"It's time to get them," Ben told him.

"But you said tomorrow?" Richard said concerned that if they went today he wouldn't have time to warn Juliet.

"Jacob wants it to happen now," Ben told him.

Richard's temper flared at the mention of his father. He knew Jacob had said no such thing but there was no way to prove it to the others in camp and Ben knew it. Richard put his palm on Ben's chest stopping him. "Look," Richard asked. "What happened out there? Did John see…"

"John had an accident," Ben interrupted the other Valkyrie. They glared at each other for a few seconds before Ben turned towards a tent with several men sitting outside of it. "Ryan," he said.

"Yes sir," Ryan asked standing.

"If you leave right now," Ben asked. "How long will it take you to reach their camp?"

"If I take my ten best we can set up to hit them by nightfall," Ryan replied.

"Then you better get going," Ben told him.

"No, no, Ben wait," Richard said. "If you move up the schedule Juliet may not be ready. What if she hasn't had time to mark tents?"

"Then we'll take all there women," Ben said with a glare. "And we'll sort out the ones we need later."

"And the men?" Ryan asked.

"If any of them are stupid enough to get in your way, kill them," Ben told the man.

"Alright," Ryan replied walking off to get his team ready and head out. He wondered at the sudden change, not just in the plan, but how the men were to be handled. In the past they'd always gone out of their way to avoid hurting anyone.

Alex, overheard the conversation between her father, Ryan and Richard. She knew Richard wouldn't be able to warn Juliet, but she knew who could. She took off into the woods at a run. Not to far from camp, close to a ring of Banyan tree's she quietly yelled, "Carl, Carl it's me."

Carl came out of the circle of trees. "I thought you were bringing rabbit?"

"You have to go," Alex told him. "Now."

"What?" he asked confused. "Did he find out I was out here?"

"No, but he's sending Price to their beach camp right now," she told him. "You have to warn them!"

"Warn them?" Carl asked.

"You have to go now," Alex told him again.

"I thought they were just going to take the pregnant women," he said.

"If you take the outrigger you'll get there a few hours before them," Alex said.

"Whoa, wait, Alex…."

"He's going to kill them Carl," Alex shouted interrupting him. "Austin and Ford saved your life. You owe them." She pulled her gun out, the one Ben had returned, and handed it to him. "Here," she said. "You better take this."

"If I get caught," he told her. "Your father's going to kill me this time."

"Is he my father?" she asked by way of reply. She knew something was wrong with him. Richard and Juliet knew too, but they wouldn't say what it was. She was young though, not stupid, she'd find out one of these days. Right now though, she hated him.

Carl sighed and looked at her tilting his head to the side as if to say of course he is. She surprised him then by stepping up and kissing him passionately. "Now go," she said when she released him. He nodded and ran off through the woods. Reaching the beach and the outrigger using all his strength he pushed the craft into the ocean in the direction of the beach camp.

- - - - -

Dean applied a liberal amount of burn cream to Sam's hand as he spoke to his brother, "What were you thinking Sam?" he asked. "That sigil was glowing so bright with power I don't understand why you would touch it. You know better."

John handed him a roll of bandages which were beginning to run low, as were most of their first aid supplies. "What are you talking about Dean?" Sam asked as his brother began to wrap his injured hand. "It wasn't glowing. It's just black paint."

They all looked at the offending sigil that was now smeared with Dean's blood. "I didn't see it glowing either," John told his oldest son. He didn't make the mistake of implying that Dean was wrong. His oldest son was rarely wrong about anything, much less something like this.

"So why could I see it, and you two couldn't?" Dean asked.

"I don't know," John told him.

Sam spotted the bandanna wrapped tightly around Dean's palm and grabbed his brother's hand turning it palm up to look at it. Dean tried to pull his hand away but Sam wouldn't let go.

"Dude," he said. "You're too old to hold hands, even when something scares you."

Ignoring his brothers banter Sam nudged the material aside and saw the slice that ran across his palm. "What happened?" he asked.

"The blood neutralized the sigil's power," John told Sam ignoring the glare that Dean sent him.

Sam looked at Dean who looked away from him. He didn't berate Dean for doing something so foolish as Dean expected, instead he said, "Thank you."

Dean just nodded. "What happened when you touched it," he asked Sam.

Sam thought about it. The pain was as easy to explain as it was to see, but he wasn't sure how to explain the feeling he got from the thing. "It was evil," he finally replied. "It hurt, but that's pretty obvious. It felt like I was sinking into the pits of hell, like I was being drawn away."

"Okay," Dean said. "So you've learned your lesson right? You're not gonna touch anymore glowing sigils."

Sam rolled his eyes. "If I had seen it glowing I wouldn't have touched it," he told Dean. "How stupid do you think I am?"

Dean smirked and was about to reply but John stopped him. "Well, if you boys are done we need to get a better look at this cabin," he said. "It's obviously protected so we need to check all four walls and the ground and surroundings."

Together they searched the area finding a binding charm hanging from each of the four corners of the cabin which John carefully removed. He wrapped them in an old cloth and placed them in the duffle bag for disposal later.

The same sigil that was on the front of the cabin was also drawn onto the other three sides of the cabin. Neither Sam nor, John could see the glowing power of the markings but Dean was nearly blinded by their brightness. "I don't get it," he told the others. "Why can't you two see them?"

"I have no idea son," John told him. "But let's try something. He pulled his knife out and made a small cut on his hand.

"Dad," Dean and Sam said in unison. "Don't touch it!"

"Trust me," John said glancing at his boys. "I have no intention of touching it." Instead he allowed the blood to pool in his palm. "Dean," he said. "You're the only one who can tell if this is going work." Dean nodded. John got as close as he dared to the sigil then splashed the blood from his palm onto the mark.

The blood struck the glowing mark but it didn't even dull it. In fact if anything it grew slightly brighter. He shook his head. "It's not working." He told his father then saw Sam pulling out his knife. "Put it away Sammy," he said. "I don't think your blood's gonna work either."

"Why not?" Sam asked. "We should at least try."

"No," Dean said removing the bandage from his hand and working the wound open again. "You can't see it glowing. I can. I don't know what it is that makes me so special but whatever it is," he continued as he splashed the blood onto the mark and watched the glow dim again just as it did with the first symbol. He placed his palm on the mark and smeared it heavily with blood until the power dissipated completely. Then he walked around the building doing the same to two remaining sigils. "That does it," he said once he was finished. "What say we see what's inside?"

John nodded and they once again approached the cabin's door. "I'll go first this time," he said.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Dean asked. John turned and raised an eyebrow at his son. "Ah, yeah," Dean replied. "Forget I said that."

Sam and Dean pulled out their guns, click off the safety and stood one on each side of the door. John reached for the handle and slowly turned it. "Jacob," he said. "My name is John. I'm coming in."

Sam and Dean looked at each other eyes wide as their father made what they would saw as a tactical error. You never announce yourself when entering a hostile stronghold. He had taught them that.

John entered the cabin raising the lantern to allow its glow to spread throughout the cabin. Sam followed him in looking around as he did, his gun following the path of his gaze.

Dean came in next but his gaze stopped on the man sitting in the chair at the table. His gun pointed directly at him. "Who are you?" he asked. John and Sam looked at Dean and then the empty chair across the room.

- - - - -

Carefully Jack unwrapped another stick of the old dynamite. He handed it to Juliet who slowly added it to the growing stack of sticks already strategically placed at the entrance of the tent.

"We're going to need some more wire," Danielle told him as she ran the wire through the tent.

"I can get some people to start stripping the plane wreckage," Jack told her.

"Good," Danielle said. "I should be able to finish rigging these tents in the next twenty four hours. We'll be ready by tomorrow night."

Jack left the tent intent on getting help with the wire. Sayid walked up and kept pace. "We need to talk about Naomi's phone," he said.

"Not now," Jack told him.

"You're angry," Sayid told him. "I'll be happy to make a sincere apology later but now we have a need…"

"Look," Jack interrupted him. "I'm a little bit busy alright Sayid."

"And I'm trying to get us off this island Jack!" Sayid said forcefully. Jack stopped and looked at Sayid apologetically. "I can't transmit using this phone, because Danielle's distress signal is overriding the frequency." Danielle walked up as they spoke. "If you tell me where the radio tower is I can go there, switch off your message and call for help."

"That message has been playing for the last sixteen years and nobody has heard it. What makes you think you'll get better luck?" Danielle asked.

"Naomi's boat is only eighty miles off shore," Sayid replied. "I know that if we eliminate Danielle's signal they'll hear us."

"No, they won't," said Juliet who had walked up as they spoke.

"And why is that?" Sayid asked.

"We're jamming it," she replied.

"What?" Jack asked.

"Ben is using one of the Dharma stations to block all the signals off the island," Juliet told him.

"What station?" Sayid asked.

"They call it the looking glass," she told him. Juliet knew there was no way for a signal to reach the real world, even if it weren't being jammed it was impossible. They, however, didn't need to know that. To make sure though, she told them about the looking glass sure that there was no way they could find it much less get inside.

"The looking glass?" Sayid asked.

"Yes," she replied, "But, it's underwater I have no idea where it is," she told them.

"I believe I do," Sayid said shocking her.

Sayid led them to his tent. He dug around in his things until he found the maps and plan's he'd taken from the communications cabin that Locke had blown up. Pulling out the diagram he was looking for he laid it out flat on his makeshift table. "This is the looking glass," he told Jack and Juliet. "It's an underwater station." He turned to Juliet and asked. "Please, can you tell me anything you might no about this place."

"I've never been down there," she told him shaking her head. "I don't know anyone who has."

"Why not?" Jack asked.

"There was some accident," she replied trying to ensure that they'd not attempt to access the station. "Ben told us that the station was completely flooded."

"Well if it's flooded how does it still work?" Jack asked.

"How it still works is irrelevant," Sayid said. "The question is, how do we get it to stop working so we can use the satellite phone?" They all studied the diagram for a few minutes. "The diagram shows that the looking glass is connected to the island by a cable. I feel sure it's the very same cable down the beach which runs into the ocean." He explained.

Juliet wasn't even sure why she was so surprised that Sayid knew about the station. He was an old soul and as such he was a very strong warrior. He wasn't as old as Locke or Mary, but he was much older then most of the souls from flight 815, including Jack.

"The cable should lead us to the station," Sayid said.

"So how are we going to get in?" Jack asked.

"We swim in," he replied. "There's a moon pool, a room with an open floor at the base of the station. It's big enough for a submarine to dock. Even if the station is flooded I think I'll be able to find the relay switch and disable it."

"What about swimming back up?" Jack asked. Sayid just looked at him. "No," Jack told him immediately understanding it would be a one way trip. "I'm not letting you go on some suicide mission just to flip a switch."

"Someone has to do it or we'll never leave this island," Sayid told him.

Charlie and Desmond walked up quietly as they were speaking. "I'll do it," Charlie said startling them all. "Swim down, turn off that bloody switch and swim back up. Piece of cake."

"Charlie," Jack said. "You don't even know what we're talking about."

"I was junior swim champion in Northern England. I can hold my breath for four minutes. I know exactly what you're talking about Jack," he replied seriously.

"No," Jack said. "There's no reason to do this now. We're going to focus on The Others then we'll deal with this." He stood up to leave trying to end the conversation.

"Wait a minute," Sayid said. "We have a chance to signal for rescue."

"Look," Jack said shaking his head. "For ninety days I've been asked to make decisions for this entire camp. There you go, I just made one." He walked away ending any further discussion on the matter.

Hurley was hoeing a furrow in the sand to bury the wires leading to the explosives. Taking a break he stood up and looked around. Down the beach he spotted a canoe being paddled ashore. "Hey," he shouted to everyone pointing as he turned to run towards the craft. "Look there!"

Sawyer and Sayid looked and saw the young man beach the craft and begin to run in their direction. Sayid was the first to make contact taking the young man to the ground and pinning him in the sand.

Sawyer came running up shouting at Sayid. "Get off him damn it, its okay."

"What?" Sayid yelled back. "He's one of them!"

"I know," Sawyer told him. "I know… its okay." He helped the boy to his feet as the others gathered around. "He was in the cage next to me. I know this guy." Then he turned and addressed the boy. "What the hell are you doing here Carl?" he asked the teenager.

"There coming," he explained out of breath. "My people."

"Sorry you came all this way for nothing," Sawyer told him. "But we already know."

"Then why are you still here?" Carl asked.

"Because when your people show up tomorrow night we're going to be ready for them," Sawyer told him.

"Tomorrow?" Carl said. "No, no they're coming tonight! They're coming right now!"

**A/N - Okay now I have a tough decision to make. In the show Lost one of my favorite characters was killed off in one of the last few episodes of the season. I hated that he was killed, so do I stick with the original storyline or alter it to save him. Argh! I hate this kind of decision. So let me ask you this. Should I kill him or really go AU with this and keep him alive? I know what I want to do, but I also know what I should do. Anyway, what did you think? Go ahead and click the review button and let me know! **

**p.s. - Thanks for sticking with me on this one. It's great having so many people who want to read what I write. **


	19. Mary

_**Disclaimer:** Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

**Chapter Nineteen:**

The group from flight eight fifteen stood around the beach camp's pantry which had lately become the meeting area. Carl had just finished repeating everything that he knew about the coming attack.

"Is that everything?" Jack asked him.

"Yeah," Carl replied.

Jack looked at Kate. "You trust him?" he asked. She shrugged.

"You don't trust me," Carl exclaimed. "What about her?" He pointed at Juliet. "She's a spy. She's supposed to mark the tents of the pregnant women with white rocks so they can take them."

"They know Karl," Juliet replied. "But thanks."

"So what are we going to do?" Hurley asked.

"We have to leave now," Sun said worried. "Hide."

"Where?" Bernard asked. "Its their Island, if they wanna kill us they'll find us."

"The sun's gonna go down in a few hours," Jack said. He turned to Danielle and asked, "Do we have enough wire yet?"

"Not even close," she said shaking her head.

"We've gotta figure out a different way of setting the dynamite off," Jack told them.

"We could shoot," Sayid said.

"We don't have enough guns," Jack told him. "Carl said that ten of them are coming, armed."

"Not the Others, the tents," Sayid clarified. "We can camouflage the dynamite next to the tents. Target it from our positions at the tree line."

"Juliet marked three tents," Jack told him. "That means we need three guns."

Carl pulled out Alex's gun.

"Whoa!" Hurley said his eyes wide.

"Here," Carl said to Jack. "You can have mine."

"I'll be your third," Danielle said.

"We'll take your gun, but you're not staying here." Jack told her. "You're gonna lead everyone to the radio tower. Everyone."

"Radio tower?" Clair asked.

"If this doesn't work, we can't risk losing the chance of getting in contact with Naomi's boat, so everything has to happen at the same time," Jack continued ignoring Claire's question. "Charlie? You still up for a swim?"

"Yeah I believe I am," Charlie replied.

"I'll go with him," Desmond said.

"We better get to it," Jack told everyone.

- - - - -

Richard gazed around the camp. He spotted Ben speaking heatedly with his daughter Alex. He made eye contact with her, nodded and turned and approached the group of women sitting around a campfire talking about the best ways to preserve fruit. Smiling he walked up to the beautiful blonde woman who held the center of attention. He waited for her to finish speaking before asking if she would mind joining him on a walk. The other ladies giggled, he grinned at them as the blonde agreed and stood to leave with him.

As they walked Richard wondered why she had chosen to do what she'd done. She was so sad and withdrawn in comparison to her past visits. He wished he knew a way to help her, but how do you ever get over what she had done?

"This is dangerous," Mary told Richard once they were far enough from camp that no one was going to hear them.

"I know," he told her. "But there's something you need to know."

"What?" she asked. "Is John okay?"

"He's fine," Richard told him. "He's developed a bit of a temper in his past lifetime, but he's fine."

"Then what is it?" she asked.

"Dean and Sam are here," he told her.

She stopped and turned to him sadness enveloping her. "What happened? They're so young," she told him. "Usually they live rich full lives before they come back."

"Nothing happened," Richard told her. "They didn't die. They're here in the flesh."

Mary's face paled. "That's not possible," she replied.

"That's what we thought too, but evidently the island deems it necessary," Richard said.

"Where are they? Are they alright?" she asked. "They need to be protected. Ben can not be allowed to know of their existence on the island."

"I know," Richard replied. "They're safe. They're with John."

Mary sighed in relief. "Good," she said. "He'll take care of them."

"Can I ask you something?" Richard asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"Why did you do it?" he asked. "Why did you perform the ritual that would draw Azezal right to Sam? You had to know it was a dark ritual when you performed it. The ingredients alone would have told you that. How could you condemn him to hell? He's your son."

Mary sighed and looked away from the Valkyrie. "I didn't want to do it," she told him as tears filled her eyes. "But Valhalla demanded it."

"The island told you to do it?" Richard said incredulously.

"Yes," she told him. "Not in so many words, but it made me understand. The only way to save Valhalla and Jacob was for me to condemn my son."

"How? How did the island tell you?" Richard told her. "And how did you even remember the island when you were alive?"

Mary took a seat on a nearby stump. She wiped her eyes clear and looked at Richard imploring him to understand. "It started when I was pregnant with Dean," she told him. "I dreamt of the island, of our past lives. For six months I dreamt of all the good things about Valhalla. Then the dreams turned darker. I watched demons take over the island. I saw them torturing every soul on the island and all those that arrived. I woke up screaming most nights."

Richard listened without interrupting her. Since she returned to the island not once had she spoken of her past life, of her betrayal of her son. He knew only the side of the story told to him by Azkeel. The demon had delighted in gloating of the failure of the islands oldest, most respected soul. It's why he hadn't destroyed her yet.

"I didn't know what to do, neither did John," she told him. "I became desperate. I sought out anyone who could help me understand why I was having the dreams and what they meant. That's when I met Missouri. She helped me understand them, helped me realize the Island was speaking to me, telling me what was going to happen if I didn't stop it."

"The week before Dean was born the island sent me a dream of the ritual. It wanted me to perform the ritual on Dean the hour he was born. I refused. In my dream I told the island I wouldn't do it. I couldn't. That's when he began to appear to me in the dreams. My youngest son, I knew it was him the moment I saw him. He begged me to perform the ritual. He told me that Dean had agreed to it before he'd left the island to be with me."

"It was Sam who finally convinced me to do it. Missouri and I put together the things I would need. Then he was born, he was so tiny, so beautiful. I loved him and I couldn't do it." She stopped and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"So it was supposed to be Dean," Richard said. "He was the one that was to be condemned."

"Yes, but I couldn't do it," she told him. "I just couldn't."

"What made you change your mind?" he asked. "Why did you do it with Sam when you couldn't do it with Dean?"

She sighed, closed her eyes briefly then opened them again before continuing. "When I didn't perform the ritual the dreams stopped. Nothing happened for the next three and a half years. Life was wonderful for us. Dean was such a wonderful child. He was happy and fun loving and he adored his father. They were inseparable those two and when I became pregnant again they were both ecstatic."

"But…" Richard prompted.

"The dreams came again," she said. "This time they were worse, so much worse. The island showed me what Ben had become. It told me of Jacob's capture and it made me watch as he killed the Valkyries. By the time Sam was born I didn't feel as though I had a choice anymore. I knew the only way to save Valhalla was to condemn my son."

"And John?" Richard said.

"He never knew, at least not before Azezal killed me," she replied. "How could I tell him? How could I make him understand when I barely understood myself." She was silent for a few minutes before she continued. "When I died I was so terrified for Sam, so scared of what was going to happen to him that I couldn't move on. I couldn't come here. I was afraid and ashamed so I stayed but I was bound to my home and they left it so I couldn't do anything to protect them." She smiled and pride for her sons shown in her eyes as she continued. "They came back. When that evil spirit came and tried to take over my home they returned to protect the family that lived there. When I saw what they had become, how they had grown up as warriors. I knew it was the right thing to do. So when after my battle with the spirit I released my shame and my fears and I returned here. I finally came home. Now, I just hope that Dean can save his brother from what I have done to him."

"He already did," Richard told her. "Sam was killed in a battle with one of the other condemned children. Dean made a deal with a crossroads demon to bring him back. That deal overrode the ritual you performed and freed Sam."

Mary's eyes widened in shock. "But what about Dean?" she asked.

"The demon gave him a year," Richard replied. "Once the year is up the hell hounds will bring him down."

Mary nodded. "So the island got what it wanted. Dean has been condemned to hell, but why is that important? And more importantly how are we going to get him out of the deal."

"I don't know if we can," Richard told her. "But I know your son, or at least I knew him before this life. He would have gladly traded his soul for the survival of the island."

"I know," she replied.

"There's something else you should know," he said. "Your son's have already fought and defeated one of the demons on the island. They sent it back to hell."

A grin split Mary's face as she replied quietly, "That's my boys!" 

**A/N - I know, I know... no Sam or Dean. I promise they'll be in the next one!**


	20. Tarnished

_**Disclaimer:** Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

_Hmmm... looks like a few of y'all have skipped chapter seventeen. Am I writing these chapters too fast? Oh, well, I wouldn't want to slow down so I can only hope that y'all keep up! -grins- Alright, __I'm sorry to say that I did not have my trusty Beta (my wonderfully helpful sister) to check this chapter over before posting. She's over in Gatlinberg enjoying some work/play time. Must be nice to be able to go on a trip to such a wonderful town just to go shopping and spend thousands of dollars of company money! (Too bad she's like me and hates to shop!) Anyway. I appologise in advance for any mistakes that have not been corrected. _

**Chapter Twenty:**

Shock ripped through Odin when Sam followed John into the cabin. He knew immediately that the younger Winchester was alive and his being on the island was a terrifying thought. However, what was more upsetting was the seeing the next young man who came through the door.

He would recognize these men's souls anywhere and in any form. When Odin looked at a living person he saw their soul engulfed by a human body. The soul always cast a bright amber glow that surrounded the person just as it did Sam. John's soul was much brighter because it was not encased in a body.

Then Dean walked into the cabin and Odin knew real fear. Darkness dimmed the normal amber glow that surrounded Dean turning it to a dark muddy brown. Dean's soul was tarnished. His soul being tarnished as it was could mean only one thing. He had sold his soul to a demon and when he died he would be unable to return to Valhalla. Odin was not afraid of Dean. He was afraid_ for _him.

"Who are you," Dean asked pointing his gun at Odin's heart.

Odin's eyebrow's rose. "Who do you think I am?" he asked.

Dean clicked the safety off on his gun.

"Dean?" John asked quizzically. "Tell me what you see."

Dean glanced quickly at his father. "You're joking right?" he asked.

John shook his head. "No, son," he replied. "I'm not. Describe him to me."

"He's tall, grey hair and beard," Dean told his father. "He's got Sam's build, but he's wearing an eye patch." He turned to Sam. "You can't see him either?"

Sam shook his head. "I got nothing," he said with a shrug.

"What the hell is going on here?" Dean asked to no one in particular.

"It's Odin, Jacob as he's called here on the island," John told his son. "You can put the gun down."

Dean's gun never wavered. "How do we know?" he asked suspiciously.

"You were expecting someone else to be imprisoned here?" Odin asked surprised.

"Of course it's him Dean," John said. "Who else would it be? Now put the gun down and let's figure out how to free him."

"Stranger things have happened," Dean said his gun still not going down. "Trust me on that."

Odin's eyebrow raised and he glanced at John and Sam who both now stood staring at Dean.

"Don't even bother," Dean told him. "For some ungodly reason they can't seem to see or hear you. That means you get to deal with me. So tell me how do I know you are really Odin and why should I set you free?"

"Dean," Sam cautioned.

"I fear you have spoken more truly then you know," Odin replied.

"Son," John said shaking his head. "I thought I taught you better then to piss off a god."

"You also taught me to watch out for traps," Dean told him. "How do we know this is really Jacob or Odin or whoever?" Then he turned to Odin and said. "And what the heck are you talking about?"

"Who else would a possessed Valkyrie have imprisoned on Valhalla?" Sam asked rolling his eyes as his brother.

"You said it was some ungodly reason that you could see me," Odin told him. "I believe you are correct."

Dean tilted his head and turned his palm up. "Good point Sammy," he replied lowering the gun. Then realizing what Odin had just said he looked quizzically at the god and said, "Come again?"

"Your soul is tarnished," Odin told him. "It is no longer pure. What did you get for selling it to a demon?"

Dean raised the gun again pointing it at Odin he pulled the trigger back as anger engulfed him. "Shut your damned mouth," he said angrily.

"Dean, don't," John shouted this time stepping closer to his son. "It wouldn't kill him anyway."

"Maybe not," Dean said to his father while he glared at Odin. "But it will hurt like hell."

"I believe you are the one that is damned," Odin told Dean calmly.

Dean took a step towards Odin anger plain on his face, his intention clear to both John and his brother. Sam stepped in front of him placing his hand on Dean's gun arm. "Dean, don't," he said.

"Jacob, stop!" John said staring at the empty chair.

Odin looked at John and replied even though he knew that John couldn't hear him. "I was merely trying to ascertain why one of my generals would sell his soul to the enemy."

Dean lowered the gun and shoved Sam aside. "It's none of your damn business," he shouted at the god." Then he thought about what Odin had said and asked, "Your generals?"

"Yes," Odin replied. "You are… were to be one of the generals commanding the Einherjar during the battle of Ragnarok. Azkeel has already destroyed several of my commanders so forgive me if I wish to know why one of you would willingly give up before the battle even begins. I thought Valhalla was teaching you better then that."

"Azkeel?" Dean asked.

"Sam," John said pointing up into the rafters. "We need to get rid of that Wormwood and Jimson weed."

"Azkeel is the Nephilim that has possessed my son Ben," Odin told Dean. "He is brother to Azezal whom you killed."

"So your telling me Ben is the yellow eyed demon's brother?" Dean asked Odin lowering the trigger and putting the safety on.

"Dean," John said pointing to the corners of the room. "The sigils."

"Yes," Odin replied. He watched as Dean removed the bandage from his hand and reopened the wound on his palm. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Getting you out of here," Dean replied reaching up to put his hand on the glowing symbol.

"Don't!" Odin said forcefully standing and taking a step in Dean's direction.

Dean stopped and looked at Odin. "Trust me," he said.

Odin watched surprised as Dean's blood nullified the sigil and he moved on to the sign in the next corner. Only a creature of hell should be able to touch those sigils unharmed.

"Dad," Sam said pointing at what appeared to be a dim apparition of a man who appeared to be just as Dean had described Odin. As Dean destroyed another sigil Odin's form solidified a little bit more. They could hear him now too, his voice like a whisper in the wind.

"It's the taint," Odin said as understanding sank in.

Dean turned to Odin. "What?"

"You should not be able to touch those sigils," the god told him. "They are power symbols of the Nephilim. Only creatures of hell can safely make contact with them."

"I hate to break it to you," Dean told him walking to the next corner. "But I'm not."

"Not what?" Odin asked.

"A creature of hell," he replied.

"Not yet," Odin told him. "Never the less it is the taint on your soul that allows you to disable the power in the symbols."

"Not ever," Sam said tossing the last of the plants out of the cabin. "I'm going to get him out of that deal."

Odin turned to Sam. "I'm very certain that if anyone can find a way, it will be you."

Dean disabled the third sigil and moved to the final lock holding Odin in his prison. "Are you ready to get out of here?" he asked Odin.

"After nearly twenty five years of imprisonment," Odin said. "I am very ready to leave and I will be forever in your debt."

Dean finished disabling the final sigil and turned to Odin. "What do you say we find that evil son of bitch and send his sorry ass back to hell where it belongs?"

- - - - -

Charlie walked up to Claire's tent as she packed. "You need some help?" he asked.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to do this?" she demanded in reply.

"I didn't want you to worry," he told her.

"Well its dangerous, isn't it?" Claire asked him. "Swimming into some underwater station."

"It's what needs to be done to get us all rescued," he told her. "I'll be fine, Claire. Now you've gotta promise me something. While I'm gone. Don't worry about me."

"Be careful Charlie, K?" She said.

"See you soon," he told her.

Charlie walks up to the canoe ready to go and sees Desmond making something. "What's that?" He asked.

"It's a weight belt," Desmond explained. "Should bring you down quicker than swimming. Well every second counts."

"So I just take it off when I hit bottom," he said. "Swim up through the moon pool, into the station. Swim into whichever room has the yellow blinking switch, flip it. Nothing to it."

"So how long can you really hold your breath for?" Desmond asked him.

"Does it matter?" Charlie asked.

Further down the beach Bernard was showing off his shooting skills by knocking cans off a branch at range. Sayid and Rose were watching closely.

"You want me to hit another one?" Bernard asked Sayid.

"No," he replied. "You've made your point."

"Bernard," Rose said. "This is not pheasant hunting in Montgomery county."

"I know what I'm doing," he told his wife.

"No you don't," she replied upset. "Pheasants don't shoot back."

"Nothings gonna happen to me, Rose," he told her. "I just have to shoot a tent. And I'll be right behind ya."

"Then I'm staying too," she said.

"No you're not, Rose," Jack said walking up just in time to hear her comment. "Everyone's gathering down at the South end of the beach. No-ones staying behind but the shooters."

"Says who?" Rose asked. "You wanna give me your word that nothing's going to happen to my husband, then I go."

"I'll give you my word that if we don't kill everyone that shows up here in about an hour, its not gonna matter where Bernard is," he replied.

"I like you better since you got back, Jack," she told him. "You're almost an optimist." She turned to her husband and said, "Come on. If you're gonna be hiding in the bushes, let's get ya into something dark."

Jack turned to Sayid and said, "You better get going. Rousseau says its about a day's walk up to the radio tower."

"I'm not taking them to the tower," Sayid told him. "You are."

"Excuse me?" Jack asked.

"You're not staying behind," Sayid told him.

"This was my idea," Jack told him.

"And I'm perfectly capable of executing it," Sayid replied.

"I owe them!" Jack told him.

"What are you more concerned about, killing the Others, or getting our people off this Island?" Sayid asked Jack. "This afternoon you said you were our leader. It's time for you to act like one. Lead them to the radio tower, Jack. And then take us all home."

Jack walks around speaking with random survivors making sure they are prepared for the long trek ahead. "You water in there?" he asked one of the group then moved on to the next one. "Good, good. How about you, lot of water? Good."

When he reached Kate she looked at him and said, "Hey."

"Hey," he replied.

"So here we go again, huh," she told him.

"Here we go again," he laughed.

"The tents are all marked," Juliet told him. "We're set."

"Sayid find the third shooter?" Jack asked.

Juliet motions over her shoulder to Jin, who is helping Sun pack her bag.

Jack heads over to speak one last time with Sayid. "You have everything you need?" he asks.

"No," Sayid replied. "But I made the best out of what we have."

"Bernard and Jin?" Jack asked as they watch Bernard load a gun, while Jin spoke with Sun.

"They're both excellent shots. And highly motivated," Sayid told him.

"The dynamite's in place, we won't miss. Jack, no matter what happens here I want you to keep moving, keep moving for that radio tower. Don't turn back for any reason. I'm willing to give my life if it means securing rescue, but I'm not giving it up for nothing. You understand."

"Yeah," Jack said nodding. "I understand."

They shook hands. "Good luck," Sayid told Jack.

"You too," Jack replied. Jack looked over the group as the last minute preparations to leave were completed. "All right," he said loud enough for everyone to hear. "Lets do it!"

**A/N - Well? What'd ya think of this chapter?**


	21. Healing hands

_**Disclaimer:** Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

**Chapter Twenty One:**

Charlie pushed the boat out, while Desmond looked for the cable buried in the sand. After finding it Desmond said. "This is it. Ready?"

Charlie nodded and they pushed off from shore using the cable as a guide. When they came to the place where the cable went straight down Desmond looked at Charlie and said. "We're here."

Charlie nodded as he wrote on a piece of paper. When he was done he handed it to Desmond. "I want you to give this to Claire for me," he told him.

"What is it?" Desmond asks taking the paper from Charlie.

"It's the five best moments of my, sorry excuse for a life," Charlie replied. "My greatest hits. You know, memories." He sat there for just a second, recalling each of each the five items on the list. The first time he heard himself on the radio. His dad teaching him how to swim at Butlins. The Christmas Liam gave him the DS ring. The day the woman outside Covent Gardens had called him a hero for saving her from a mugger and of course, the very best moment. The night of the plane crash, the night he met Claire. "They're all I've got."

"You don't have to do this," Desmond told him and then said, "Charlie."

"What?" Charlie asked.

"I'll go," Desmond said.

"No," Charlie said remembering all the premonitions the other man had had that saved his life in the past. He knew the things Desmond saw were real, so he knew that if he did this, if he turned off that light then Claire and Arron would get off the island. "Your flashes," he said by way of explanation.

"Maybe, I keep seeing you die because I'm supposed to take your place," Desmond said feeling guilty.

"What about your girl, Penny?," Charlie asked trying to convince the other man not try and change the plan. He was afraid that if things didn't go down just as Desmond had seen it, then the rescue would fail and Claire and her son would be stuck on the island.

"What about your girl?" Desmond countered. "Besides. I might be luckier than you." He handed the paper back to Charlie. "Keep your memories to yourself. I'll take it from here." He removed his shoes and looked around the canoe preparing to go in the water.

"I dunno what to say," Charlie told him.

"Well, he replied still looking around him. "You could tell me where the weigh belt is."

"Right there behind you," Charlie told him. He waited until Desmond turned around to reach of the weight belt then he picked up an oar and smashed the other man over the head with it knocking Desmond out cold. Charlie carefully laid the other man out in the canoe so he wouldn't accidentally fall into the water and drown before he woke up.

"You and I both know. You're not supposed to take my place, brother," Charlie said to him as he put his precious list of memories in Desmond's pocket before grabbing the weight belt. He looked around him once more at the island and the ocean as tears filled his eyes. After a few moments he sighed and dove into the ocean the weight belt doing it's job and helping him to sink quickly down into the dark depths.

- - - - -

John opened the door and looked over at Odin. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"More then you could ever imagine my friend," Odin replied. He stepped out onto the porch and inhaled the fragrant air of the forest. It was the first breath of fresh air he'd had in nearly twenty five long years. He closed his eyes and listened to the night sounds reveling in them before opening his eyes and placing his fingers in his mouth to let out a loud piercing whistle.

Almost immediately the pounding of hooves came to the ears of all four of the men now standing on the porch. A large black horse came charging up the trail neighing loudly as he headed straight for Odin. The beautiful animal pranced the final steps tossing its head and neighing at the newly freed god.

"Sleipnir!" Odin exclaimed. "It is good to see you too my friend. I was concerned Azkeel had found and destroyed you!"

The horse looked at Odin and Dean would have sworn the animal had rolled its eyes at the man. "I don't suppose he brought three of his friends along with him?" Dean asked.

"There are none like him on the island," Odin replied to Dean. "But I shall be leaving the three of you to complete your quest anyway."

"What?" Dean demanded forcefully. "You have to help us save my mother!" John put a hand on Dean's shoulder stopping him from taking an angry step in the god's direction.

Odin smiled at Dean. "You mother will be fine," he replied. "You will find a way to save her this time." He walked up to Sam and put his hand on the youngest Winchester's shoulder and with his other hand he turned Sam's injured palm up and covered it with his own. A bright while light shown from between the two of them. Sam's eyes closed and his head rolled back briefly but Odin kept him on his feet and when the God finally pulled away all of Sam's injuries were healed and he was filled with an energy that he had not felt in a long time. Odin repeated the process with John and then turned to Dean.

"I'm good," Dean told him holding his hands up in the classic stop sign. "Thanks."

Odin of course ignored him completely and once again called on his healing ability. He poured all of his ability into the task at hand trying to find a way to dispel the taint but no matter how hard he fought it the stain, though diminished, remained within the young hunter.

Dean's knee's gave and he would have crumbled to the ground had John and Sam not caught him. One on each side they supported him until Odin pulled wearily away. If Dean had to describe the feeling that came over him when Odin healed him he would have said it felt like peace. For the first time since he had made the deal to save his brother's life he felt a tranquil acceptance of what was to come. Not that he was looking forward to his fate. It was he was now certain that somehow he would be saved.

Odin swung onto the horses' bare back. He gripped the animals' long dark mane and nodded to the three men on the ground. "I owe you gentleman a great debt, but for the moment it must go unpaid. If you follow Ben's trail he will lead you to your mother. He made no move to cover his tracks because in his arrogance he did not believe anyone could stop him. I believe it is time someone showed him the error of his ways don't you?"

"Where are you going?" Sam asked.

"I must go to my temple," Odin replied. "There are things there I must gather and people I must see."

John, Sam and Dean shouldered their packs again and prepared to move out once more. None of them said anything as they Odin turned Sleipnir but the god looked back before taking leaving and said, "Help will come to you when you need it most. Have no fear. We will win this battle."

"Okay Gandalf," Dean muttered shaking his head as he watched Odin and his horse gallop away.

Sam snickered at his brother's comment as the three of them turned and started on their own path. "So then that makes you what? Frodo?" he said to his brother.

"Hell no," Dean replied. "I'm Aragon and that makes you that long haired dude with the big ears."

"Legolas?" Sam replied "I can live with that. He was an elf, he was cool."

John laughed and said, "Well, in that case I think I'll be Boromir. Now how about we go and destroy Sauron."

Sam and Dean looked at each other. "No way," they said in unison. "You saw the Lord of the Rings?"

"Is there anyone who hasn't seen them?" he asked.

The three of them continued down the trail discussing the trilogy of movies and debating the differences between the books and the movies.

- - - - -

The people of flight 815 followed Danielle down the beach leaving Sayid, Bernard and Jin stand by themselves in the center of camp. They had been traveling for a few hours when Naomi strode up to Jack. "Can I ask you a question?" she asked.

"Sure," he replied.

"What did you do for a living before you became Moses?" she asked him.

"I was a doctor," he told her laughing.

"Right, course you were," she said. "Well I need your attention for a minute, doctor." She looked at Juliet, who had stopped with Jack. "Is she okay?" she asked him.

"Why wouldn't she be?" he asked her in reply.

"Because none of your people trusts her," she told him. Then turned to Juliet and said. "No offense."

Juliet turned to Jack and said, "You know what, why don't you catch up to me when you're done."

"Juliet…," Jack said.

"It's fine," Juliet told him continuing up the trail.

Naomi pulled out her phone and held it up so Jack could see it. "So, I need to show you how this wonderful gadget works in case anything happens to me," she told him. "You need to be able to call my boat."

"Okay," he said. "Show me."

"It's actually simple," she explained. "You turn her on here. This opens a direct channel to the freighter. Give her a tap here. Wait for the beep, and say hello."

"And that's it?" Jack asked.

"That's it," she replied. "Once the rock star turns off whatever underwater contraption's jamming us up, this red light will turn a lovely shade of green. That'll be any time now yeah?"

"Hopefully," Jack told her nodding. He hopped Charlie succeeded in his task. Their entire plan depended on his getting that signal turned off.

- - - - -

Charlie sank quickly swimming down past the side of the underwater station and underneath. He let go of the weight belt and looked up seeing the moon pool just as he began to struggle for air. Swimming in he is surprised to find that instead of more water he breaches the surface of the water and sucks in a much needed breath of air. He looks around finding himself in a large room, a room not flooded. Seeing the side, he pulled himself up onto a walkway and laughed. "I'm alive," he practically giggled giddy at the thought. "AH! I'm alive!"

A door opened and two women run in, both with guns drawn. A light came on and one of the women ran up to Charlie and points her gun right at his face. He swallowed noticeably, smiled a weak smile and raised his hands as he stared in surprise at the two women, one blond and one brunette.

"Get up!" the Blonde said as the brunette pulled a chair out of the room they had just been in. "Sit!" she said motioning to the chair.

"Jeez," Charlie told them. "I'm not a dog you know."

Charlie grunted as the blonde smacked him on the side of the head with the butt of the gun forcing him to comply with her demand.

The brunette pulled a rope out of a nearby locker and tied the rock star to the chair.

"Who are you?" the blonde asked. Charlie ignored her trying to work out the soreness his jaw.

"Look if you tell us how you got down here," the brunette said. "We won't hurt you."

"I came in my invisible submarine," Charlie said in a smart ass tone. "Don't you see it?"

The blonde smacked Charlie again. "Hey," the brunette said. "Take it easy."

"Take it easy? He's one of them," she shouted. "Why are you here, huh? How did you find out about this station?"

Charlie shrugged knowing it didn't really matter anymore. "Juliet told us," he gloated. "She's one of us now. In case you haven't heard." Charlie's head snapped back as the blonde struck again.

"Stop," the brunette said. "We gotta call Ben."

"Oh yeah," Charlie said grinning. "Let's call Ben."

"Come on," the blonde said leading the way into the small communications room as Charlie watches. He grins as he saw the blinking yellow light above a switch. The switch that Desmond said he was going to flick off just before he drowned.

- - - - -

Ben sat in his tent at the Others camp. He was writing in his diary when the walkie talkie squawked at him. "Come in. Come in, Ben."

Ben picked up the walkie and pressed the talk button. "Hello?" he said.

"Ben, it's Bonnie," came the shaky reply. "Ben, are you there? Can you hear me, Ben?"

Ben walked out of his tent trying to get a better signal. He walked past Mikhail and Richard who are playing chess. "Why are you breaking radio silence?" he demanded of Bonnie.

"One of them's down here," she told him.

"I'm sorry, what?" he asked.

"We have him tied up but he's here," she told him. "One of them swam down here."

"Who?" Ben asked shock evident on his face. "Which one?"

"He won't tell us," she said.

Charlie who had been listening to the conversation yelled, "It's Charlie! Tell him I said hi!"

"How did... how does he know about the station?" Ben demanded.

"He said Juliet told them," Bonnie replied.

Anger surged through Ben at Juliet's betrayal. "All right, sit tight," he told her. "Don't do anything, I'm sending help." He turned to Mikhail and said, "You need to go down to The Looking Glass and find out what Charlie Pace is doing down there."

"You told us The Looking Glass was inoperable. Flooded," Mikhail replied.

"I lied. Mikhail," Ben said angrily. "I need you to go, now."

"I can be there by dawn," Mikhail replied. "But if Juliet told them about The Looking Glass, what else did she tell them?"

**A/N - Sorry this one took just a bit longer then usual. I've been entralled with all the pretty new pictures of the boys and all the awesome stories that have been floating around the net from the convention. - - Hangs head in shame - - I was just so distracted by the pretties! So anyway, finally finished this one. Let me know what you think!**


	22. The scent of home

_**Disclaimer:** Sad to say, but I do not own any part of Supernatural or Lost_

**Chapter Twenty Two: **

Cold fury enveloped Ben when he realized that Juliet had betrayed him. He knew the last of the Valkyries would turn on him but he had not expected it so soon. He would deal with them as soon as he took care of the problem brewing on the beach. It wasn't that he didn't want to loose Ryan and his group, he could care less about them. It was just that he didn't want to loose them yet. They needed to reach the temple where he could perform the final ritual to destroy the island. He changed the channel on the radio and pressed the button on the radio once again. "Ryan, come in," he said. "Ryan are you there?" 

Down at the beach Ryan checked his walkie making sure it was off. He looked at the quiet camp though his binoculars as he said, "Your walkies all off?" 

"Yes sir," Tom replied. 

One of Ryan's team members approached him. "Did you get a good look?" he asked her. 

She nodded and replied, "The tents are marked with white coral, three of em. Juliet did her job." 

"All right," Ryan said. "Let's do this." 

Sayid, Jin and Bernard watched as the Others advanced as a unit. They fanned out to the three marked tents. Sayid waited until the Others literally pull back the sheets inside his marked tents. "It's empty!" said the woman who'd spoken to Ryan earlier. 

"Get away from the tent!" Ryan yells just as Sayid fires and the tent explodes, obliterating the Other's around it. "It's a trap," he shouted at his remaining team members. "Move!" 

Bernard sighed and prayed quietly, "Please, God." He opened his eyes and fired watching as two more of the raiding party are thrown across the beach by the explosion. 

Jin aims and fires his handgun, but misses the dynamite. He fired again, but the dynamite is difficult to see and the sight on the hand gun just wasn't made for this king of use and he missed again. 

"The tree line!" one of the raiders shouted 

Bullets start flying Jins way and he ducks then returns fire killing two of the them. Bigger targets are easier to hit even under fire! Deciding his cover is already blown Jin crawled out from his hiding place in the brush and aims at the now fully visible dynamite. He's just about to pull the trigger when the blunt end of Ryan's shotgun smashes into his head knocking him to the ground. 

"I got your man!" Ryan shouted at the rest of the unseen attackers. "Drop your weapons!" 

At the comment Bernard decides that caution in this case is better then valor and takes off running through the jungle. He doesn't get far as he is suddenly clotheslined by Tom, and kicked unconscious. 

"I got your man!" Ryan shouts again. "It's over!" 

Sayid slips closer to Ryan and lines up his sniper scope on Ryans head as he approaches. He exhales slowly and prepares to pull the trigger. 

"Don't," says a quiet voice beside him as he feels a gun against he head. "Finger off the trigger." 

- - - - - 

Ben stormed back to his tent slammed the radio down on his desk. He hated these people and he would be so glad when he was done with them. He sat down in his chair muttering, "I am going to enjoy tormenting every one of these people until…" 

A surge of power the likes of which he had not felt in nearly twenty five years caused him to jump to his feet. "No!" he denied fiercely running from the tent. Once free of the confines of the flimsy building he turned in the direction of Jacob's cabin prison. He couldn't see anything but he knew that everything he had done to bind Jacob to the cabin had been dispelled. "How?" his wondered. 

His eyes blazed yellow as the answer came to him suddenly. "John Winchester," he muttered. "I should have known!" He glanced looked around the camp checking the reaction of the two remaining Valkyries. Neither seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary as both continued their tasks. Before he can confirm it he radio went off and he entered his tent and picked up the radio. 

"What?" he demanded into the radio. 

"They're all dead," came the frantic reply. "Diane, Ivan, all of em, dead. And Shephard and his people, they're all gone." 

"Gone," Ben asked confused. "Gone where?" 

"I dunno. Did you hear me?" he yelled into the radio. "They killed seven of our..." 

"Tom!" Ryan said to his team member as he walked past the three captives that were bound, gagged and kneeling at their feet. "Calm down and tell him the good news." 

"What good news?" Ben asked having heard Ryan's statement. 

"We caught three of em," Tom told him. "The ones who stayed behind to blow up the tents. Ben, they knew we were coming?" 

"It was Juliet," Ben told them. "She betrayed us." 

"What?" Tom asked shocked. 

"Just figure out where she is, Tom," Ben told him coldly. 

Ryan turned to the three captives pointed at Sayid and said, "Get up." 

"OK, junior," he demands pulling Sayid's gag out of his mouth. "Where the hell did..." He was interrupted by Sayid spitting in his face. Angry Ryan pistol whipped him knocking him semi-conscious to the ground. 

"They're not talking," Tom said to Ben over the radio. 

"Who do you have?" Ben asked. 

"Jarrah, Kwon, and the dentist," Tom told him. 

Without hesitation Ben told him, "Shoot Kwon." 

"What?" Tom asked shocked at what he'd just been told to do. 

"If you want them to answer questions, kill Kwon," Ben said coldly. "Do it now." 

Jin started to speak hurriedly in Korean. "I dunno what that means," Ryan told him. "But I'm sure its lovely." He cocks the gun. 

"No, wait," Bernard yelled. "No." 

Jin looked at Bernard and said fiercely, "No. No talk." 

Ryan raised the gun to Jin's head and prepared to fire. 

"No please," Bernard begged. 

"You talk to me, nobody will get hurt," Ryan told him. "Now tell me where your people are." 

"He's lying," Sayid shouted at Bernard. "He's going to kill us all any..." 

Ryan kneed Sayid in the face, knocking him into unconsciousness. "Where are they?" he asked Bernard. When the dentist refused to answer he put his gun on Jin's temple and said, "Sayonara." 

A look of terror crossed Bernard's face as he suddenly realized Ryan meant what he said and Jin was seconds away from death. "A radio tower," he shouted. "They're hiking to a radio tower." 

"Why in the hell are they going there?" Tom asked confused. 

"A woman, parachuted here," Bernard explained. "She has a satellite phone and they're gonna call her ship." 

Ben, having heard the entire exchange through the radio asked, "Juliet thought we were coming tomorrow. So why were they waiting for us tonight?" 

Ryan turned to Bernard expecting an answer. When the other man didn't reply fast enough he waved his gun towards him tapping him on the head until he got the point. "You heard him. How'd you know?" 

"A kid," Bernard said. "He told us, he came in a canoe, and he warned us." 

"What kid?" Tom asked. 

"Karl," Bernard said his voice shaking. "He said his name was Karl." 

"You heard that, Ben?" Tom asked. 

Anger flared anew in Ben as he realized he had been betrayed again. 

"Ben?!" Tom asked. 

"I heard," Ben replied coldly stalking to the door of the tent and staring at Alex. She would pay for this one and he knew exactly how to hurt her the most. 

"What d'you want us to do," Tom asked over the radio. "Kill em?" 

Yes, Ben thought. I want every last one of them dead and gone. I want them to suffer like they have never suffered before. He continued to stare at Alex as he brought the radio up and said, "No. Not yet." 

- - - - - 

The three Winchester's watched Ben and the young Valkyrie pack up and leave camp. So far there was no sign of Mary but Richard stood alone watching Ben and his companion leave the camp. 

Dean scanned the remaining campers again and shook his head at his father and Sam. "I don't see her," he told them worried. "If that demonically possessed runt has hurt her it's going to take a long, long time for him to die!" 

"Now that's not a very nice thing to say," said a very familiar feminine voice behind them. 

All three of them spun around to find Mary Winchester behind them laughing quietly. John took two steps and swept her up into his arms kissing her shamelessly. 

Sam and Dean watched, tears in both their eyes. Several minutes passed. The brothers looked at each other, then back at their parents. Dean cleared his throat, waited a bit then cleared it again. 

John released Mary's lips and pulled back just enough to whisper, "I love you." 

"I love you too," she told him with a smile. 

They turn to face the boys, John grinning like a teenager who'd been caught under the bleachers with his girlfriend. Mary's smile grew as she looked at her boys. Dean stepped up and pulled her into a bear hug holding her tight as tears streamed unchecked down his face. "Mom," he said. "I…" he choked up unable to continue what he'd been about to say. 

The long hug ended and Dean stepped back. Mary reached up and ran her palm along her oldest son's cheek wiping the tears away. "You are so handsome," she said. "I bet the girls just swoon at the sight of you." She stepped away and moved to Sam. "Sam," she said smiling up at him. 

Sam stood still looking down at his mother. A flurry of expressions moved across his face. "Is this real?" he whispered. 

Mary's expression softened and she sighed. "Sam," she said quietly as she enveloped him in a hug tears glistening in her eyes. 

Sam's arms wrapped around his mother. His eyes closed and he breathed in the wonderful sent of his mother. A scent he remembered. The scent of peace, of love, of affection and tenderness. It was the scent of home. 

He looked at his brother and his father as they stood side by side and watched with tears in their eyes. He smiled as Dean nodded in answer to his question. "It's real Sammy," he said. 

Mary released her youngest son and took a step back from him right into John's waiting arms. She snuggled in close under his arm like she belonged there. In unison the men of the Winchester family wiped at the tears in their eyes and grinned at each other. 

John looked down at Mary. "Where are they going?" he asked her motioning to the spot across the field from them where Ben and Alex had disappeared into the woods. 

"I'm not sure," she said. "But I know someone who does." She left them long enough to bring Richard back to them. 

"John," the Valkyrie said putting his hand out. "You did it!" 

"No," he said. "Dean did." 

Richard turned to Dean a grin on his face, "So it worked," he said. "You were always a supreme tactician. I knew your plan would work." 

Sam rolled his eyes at the comment and Dean's eyebrow rose. "Right," he said drawing the word out sarcastically. "So where did the evil midget go?" he asked. 

"To the radio tower," Richard told them. "He's going to meet Jack and his people." 

"Jack's meeting with Ben?" Sam asked surprised. 

"Not knowingly," Richard told them. "Ben said he was going to talk them out of trying to get off the island." 

"So what's his real plan?" Dean asked. 

"I don't know," Richard replied. 

"Dude," Dean said. "You've been watching the guy for over a quarter of a century and you haven't figured out his plan yet?" 

"It's not like he's very trusting," Richard told him with a shrug. "I doubt he's told anyone what his real plans are. Where's Jacob?" 

"He's gone to the temple," John replied. 

Richard grinned and said, "Perfect." 

"Richard," Mary said speaking for the first time since bringing the Valkyrie to speak with them. "You get the people and head for the temple. We're going after Ben and Alex." 

"We?" Dean demanded. 

"I don't think that's a good idea," Sam said at the same time. 

"Why don't you go with Richard?" John said talking right over the top of his son's. 

Mary waited for the clamor to die down before she replied. "I'm going with you," she said. "I know where the radio tower is. Besides, now that I've got you back, I'm not letting you three boys out of my sight!" 

**A/N - Thanks for taking the time to read this! Feel free to review and let me know what you think.**


	23. Family Time

_**Disclaimer:** Whew! Okay I just decided that I really, really hate writing out the parts that are directly from the episodes. It's so much more time consuming then writing what I make up. The part about the Winchesters only took me about an hour and half to write. The rest seemed to take forever! Oh well, I'm committed to this so I'm off to start working on the next chapter! Soon I'll be past the final episode and able to make up the rest on my own anyway._

**Chapter Twenty Three:**

Jack and his people stopped when the explosions sounded across the island. "There were supposed to be three explosions," Rose said worriedly.

"It didn't work," Kate told Jack quietly.

"Why were there only two explosions?" Sun asked concern for her husband plain in her voice.

"Maybe they didn't have to blow the third tent," Jack said trying to find an explanation that the ladies could accept even though doubt ate at him.

"But those gunshots," Rose questioned. "What was that all..."

"He's OK, Rose," Jack told her.

"Do you believe that?" Sun asked.

Jack sighed. No, he didn't believe it, but he wasn't about to tell them that. "Listen, they had no idea that we were waiting for them," he said instead. "And Sayid's with your husbands, they're gonna be fine and they're gonna be a couple of hours behind us."

"Then we should wait for them here," Sun said. "You go on..."

"No," Jack replied immediately. "No-one gets left behind."

"If you say live together die alone to me Jack," Rose said. "I'm gonna punch you in your face."

Jack laughed at the older woman's statement. "Fair enough, Rose," he told her. "Fair enough." Then he turned to the entire group and raised his voice so everyone could hear him. "We have a plan. And for all we know, it worked. It's gonna be okay, every thing's gonna be all right. Let's just keep moving, okay?"

There was some grumbling, but everyone turned and continued up the path that Danielle was leading them on. Jack looked forward and saw Naomi holding up the satellite phone. He caught up to her and asked, "The light's still red?"

Naomi's only reply was a nod. She may was about to say more but Sawyer walked up to Jack and told him. "I'm going back."

"What?" Jack asked.

"I'm going back to the beach," Sawyer explained.

"No way," Jack said. "We keep moving." The last thing he wanted to do was split up his people more then he'd already done.

"I ain't asking permission," Sawyer said as both Juliet and Kate stop and listen. "Look you got a job to do here. I ain't gonna stand in your way of doing it. And you sure as hell don't need me."

"What do you think you're gonna get done," Jack asked shaking his head. "Alone and unarmed."

"He won't be alone," Kate said. "I'll go with him."

"No!" Sawyer practically shouted. "I don't want you to go."

"Sawyer," Jack said trying to talk some reason into the other man. "Its a suicide mission without guns."

"I know where there are some guns," Juliet said speaking for the first time. "There's a hidden cash, a couple of miles from here. I can take us back to the beach on a route past it."

"Juliet," Jack said sadly. "You don't have to do that."

"Yeah, Jack," she said. "I kinda do."

"Let's do this," Sawyer said looking from Jack to Juliet.

Jack looked at Juliet and said, "Don't do anything stupid."

"I won't if you won't," she replied then kissed him on the cheek. "Don't wait up."

- - - - -

The Winchesters had stopped to take a break and were kicked back and relaxing. A blanket was stretched out and John sat on it with his back to a log. Mary was sitting between his legs with hers stretched out and crossed while she leaned back into him. With John's arms wrapped around her she felt safe for the first time in a long time. John had always had that affect on her. Somehow, even in the most dire situations she had always felt safe with him around.

Sam and Dean occupied the other half the blanket. Sam was lying on his back with his long legs resting on the log John was leaning against. Dean sat Indian style next to him.

They were listening to Sam and Dean tell stories about the things they'd hunted in the year after they'd lost John. They were so animated about it. She could tell from listening to them which ones were the hardest and worst hunts because Dean had a tendency to turn those stories, or at least the most dangerous parts of them, into an amusing or even comic tales.

"So here I am tied to a chair, gagged and listening to the sounds of him and Gordon beating the cra… ah, tar out of each other and then nothing. Just silence." Dean looked from his mom and dad over at his brother and they could both see the pride shining in his eyes as he continued. "Then here he comes strolling into the room and unties me like nothing had happened!"

Sam rolled his eyes at Dean. "Right," he scoffed. "I was beat to hell after that fight Dean and you know it."

"Whatever dude," he replied then continued. "So anyway, I knew that Sam didn't finish it. I knew he'd left that sorry bastard alive so here I was ready to go back their and kick Gordon's ass some more when Sammy stops me and says, 'Gordon's taken care of.'" He looked at his dad and asked, "Now taken care of to me means, he ain't coming back, it's over, done, finished. Right?"

John smiled and nodded but remained silent. He knew his youngest would move heaven and earth to end something without killing a human. He just didn't understand that sometimes it couldn't be helped.

"So here I am thinking Sammy did it. He killed Gordon. But hey, it had to be an accident because we all know Sam wouldn't have done it on purpose. So anyway, I let him drag me out of there before I saw the body and guess what?" Dean pause giving a disgusted look at Sammy. "This bleeding heart lil' brother of mine didn't finish the job! We didn't get a dozen yard out of that old broken down house before Gordon come out shooting!"

"It's not my fault!" Sam exclaimed. "Gordon has a hard head. As hard as I hit him I figured he'd be out for a lot longer. Besides I took care of him, didn't I?"

"You call that 'taking care of him'?" Dean asked.

Mary laughed and all three Winchester men smiled at the sound. "So how did he take care of it?" she asked.

"So here we are hiding behind an ant hill of dirt with Gordon shooting at us and neither of us are packing. I'm crouched down my lips practically kissing the mud and thinking this is it, we're about to go on that final hunt into the great beyond. And what does Sammy say?" Dean asked as he reached over and punched Sam's arm playfully. "He says, 'just trust me on this one'. Trust me?!" Dean rolled his eyes again.

"Hey," Sam laughed. "It worked didn't it? I got rid of him."

"How?" John asked. Both boys laughed at the quizzical look on John's face.

"Well here's Gordon shooting at us, guns blazing, left, right, left, right. We're ducking for cover and suddenly lights start flashing and Gordon's surrounded by cops. Sam's crouched down next to me giggling like a school girl and he looks at me and says, 'anonymous tip'."

"Like I said," Sam replied with a smirk. "It worked."

"Yeah," Dean said. "But for how long? He's gonna get out some day and when he does he'll be gunning for you."

"If he gets out," Sam replied.

"He will," John said. "Gordon is a dangerous hunter. If he's got it in his head that you're evil nothings going to change his mind. He has a singled mindedness and relentless method of hunting. It's what makes him so good at it. It's also what makes him so dangerous to work with. You boys try and keep an eye on him. Call Deacon. He'll keep his eye on Gordon for you."

"Deacon's a good guy," Sam replied. "We did a job for him a few months ago."

"What kind of job?" John asked.

"A ghost was haunting a cell block at his prison," Dean replied with a shrug. "We handled it."

"Oh that was a good one," Sam said giving his brother a look that said 'idiot' as plainly as if he'd spoken the word. "Dean decided it would be best if we handled that one from the inside."

John's face paled. "What do you mean the inside?"

"He got us arrested! We spent nearly a week locked up with guys that looked at us like we were candy!"

"Oh quit being such a girl about it Sammy," Dean said grinning. "It worked, we got the information we needed, got out and put down the nurse from hell permanently."

"Yeah, but now Hendrickson is all over our asses," Sam complained. "We've had to go deeper undercover then we've ever been before." He glared at Dean then said. "Keep it up and soon you'll have to get rid of your car because it's gonna lead them right to us!"

Dean looked at Sam like he was nuts. "Get rid of my car?" he demanded. "Get rid of her? No way. Not gonna happen. Besides, she's already been sold to Robert Plant."

"Who's Robert Plant?" Sam asked appalled at the thought of his brother selling his car.

John and Mary both laughed. "Robert Plant is a member of the Led Zeppelin band," John told Sam. "I think what your brother is trying to say is he's already taken care of the car's cover story."

Dean smirked. "You didn't think I'd leave her out when we got new id's did you?" he asked Sam.

Sam spread his hands wide in defeat. "Of course not," he replied. "What was I thinking?" Everybody laughed at that, including Sam.

Joy like he had never felt before washed through Dean as he laughed with his family. Right then and there he decided that he would gladly pay for this single moment in time by spending an eternity in hell. It was worth the price.

- - - - -

At the underwater station Bonnie continues to question Charlie. "I'm gonna ask you this one more time," she says glaring at the singer. "Why are you here?"

Charlie smiles up at her safe in the knowledge that he would succeed in his task. "I'm here, to turn off your jamming equipment. It's in there, next to the flashing yellow light."

"How do you know about that?" the other woman demands.

Charlie contemplated telling them the truth, but he doubted that they would believe it so he said, "I know, because I know. Whatever you ladies do to me, I'm going to turn it off.

"You are, huh?" Bonnie said.

Charlie smirked up at her. "Most definitely am," he replied.

"So what's the code?" Bonnie asked.

"What?" Charlie replied confused.

"Oh Charlie if you're gonna turn off the jamming equipment you're gonna need the code," she explained. "And only three people know it. Me, her, and Ben."

He thought about it for a second then replied, "Well, guess I won't need the code. Since this entire station's gonna be flooded anyway. I just turn off your little jammer and the helicopters come and rescue all my friends."

"But if this station floods," Bonnie asked taken back by the confidence in Charlie. "What happens to you."

"I die," Charlie told her honestly and without any hint of fear.

The two women look at each other, Bonnie motions her friend into the communication room and they close the door. Charlie can tell they're talking but their voices are muffled making it impossible to understand what they're saying. He's looking around the room for something that might help him escape when Desmond emerges from the water.

"Des. Des!" he whispers loudly.

"Charlie!" Desmond replied. "Bloody hell! You all right?"

"Not for long if you don't get out of here," Charlie whispered frantically. "You have to hide, Des, hide, hide, there's people in there! Quick, hide hide hide. Go go go! Hide hide hide."

The door to the communications room opens as Charlie starts signing, "I feel like standing…. Stupid people…" to cover the voices they must have heard.

Bonnie walks up and stands in front of him. "Who are you talking to?" she demands.

Charlie gives her an innocent look. "I wasn't talking to anyone, I was just singing." He starts in on a rendition of his most famous song, "You all everybody! You all everybody! You all everybody! You all everybody!"

His head snaps back as Bonnie smacks him across the face, "Shut up," she hisses at him.

Licking at his now busted (again) lip Charlie replied. "Right, OK, you got it."

Mikhail suddenly emerged from the water in full diving gear.

"Mikhail?" Bonnie said surprised to see him.

Mikhail climbed out of the water and started taking off his gear. "I thought you two were on assignment in Canada?" he said.

"He made us promise not to tell anyone," Bonnie explained.

"Where is the other one?" Mikhail asked.

"What?" Bonnie asked confused.

"This idiot swam down from a boat," Mikhail explained. "I was just shooting at his friend. He dove down here."

Shaking her head Bonnie replied, "He's alone."

"Are you sure about that?" He asked pulling out a knife and approaching Charlie.

Charlie gaped at the huge knife in Mikhail's hand. "Here's a better question to ask, Cyclops. Why did your little friend Ben tell you people that this entire station was flooded when it isn't," he asked Mikhail. "Or, why these two have been jamming transmissions off the Island."

"What?" Mikhail demanded. "Is that true?" The girls nod at him just a bleeping sound comes from the communication room.

"That's Ben," The brunette said.

"I'll get it," Mikhail said brandishing his knife and staving off any protests by the two women. He stalks into the room and closes the door.

When the door opened and Mikhail walked out the brunette asked, "What did Ben say?"

"Is it possible to turn this equipment off?" Mikhail asked ignoring her question.

"What?" Bonnie asked.

"The equipment that's jamming the Island," Mikhail asked. "Can you turn it off?"

"Sure," the brunette said with a shrug. "Ben gave us the code."

"You are the only ones who have it?" he asked.

"Yeah. Why?" Bonnie replied.

"What would happen if this station were to be flooded?" Mikhail asked.

"Nothing," the brunette told him. "The casing for the equipment is waterproof, it'll keep going forever."

"Then why do you need to be here?" he asked.

"Because Ben told us to," she said. "We were following orders."

"And you never asked why?" he demanded.

"No. Because I trust him," Bonnie told him. "And I trust Jacob. And the minute I start questioning orders, this whole thing, everything that we're doing here falls apart."

Mikhail looked at the brunette and said, "She makes an excellent point." Then raised his gun and shot her point plank in the chest knocking her into the water where she sinks to her watery gave. Bonnie ran, but she wasn't fast enough to out run the bullet Mikhail fired at her back.

Bonnie wasn't dead though and when Mikhail turned her over and pointed the gun at her again she begged, "No, please."

"I'm sorry, Bonnie," he told her. "I too am following orders."

Desmond emerged quietly from the locker and pointed a speargun at Mikhail. "Hey!" he said causing the one eyed man to spin around and face him. Desmond fired sending the guns spear through the mans chest. Mikhail dropped his gun and fell to the floor. Desmond races to the gun picking it up just before Bonnie's reaching fingers get a grip on it. Desmond points it at Bonnie his intention clear.

"No, Des," Charlie shouted at him. "No, don't. We need her!"

**A/N - Okay, another one done. Sorry it took so long, but with the holiday and my aunt coming for a visit it's been a bit busy around here. I'll try and get another one up soon.**


	24. Plans unfold

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own them, I just play with them!_

_A/N - As promised, here's the next chapter. It's a long one, but we're finally getting to the meat of the story!_

**Chapter Twenty Four:**

Juliet and Sawyer were trekking through an open field on their way back towards the beach camp. "So," Sawyer said breaking the silence between them. "When you pulled us out of those polar bear cages and put us on the chain gang, what the hell did you have us breaking all those rocks for anyway?"

"We were building a runway," she told him.

"Runway?" Sawyer asked. "For what?"

Juliet turned to face him and with a straight face she replied, "The aliens." Sawyer was taken back for a second believing her whole hearted. Until she smirked and said, "I don't know what for, do you think they told me everything?"

"Yeah yeah," Sawyer said a bit miffed at having believed her even if it was just for a moment. "Whatever you say." They continued on their way silent for a minutes then Sawyer asked, "So you screwing Jack yet?"

"No," Juliet replied shocked at the direct question. She turned as she walked looked at Sawyer with a raised eyebrow and asked, "Are you?"

Sawyer laughed considering this exchange a draw. "How far away are these guns," he asked.

"There aren't any guns," Juliet told him without stopping.

Sawyer reached out and grabbed her arm swinging her around to face him and stopping her in her tracks, "What?"

"I lied," Juliet said nonchalantly.

"You lied?" Sawyer repeated.

"It was the only way he'd let us go back," She replied.

"So why are you going back?" He asked.

She didn't think telling him that she was being drawn back to the beach by her sixth sense was what he wanted to hear much less believe so she replied, "Karma." Then asked, "Why are you going back, James?"

He didn't answer her because he didn't know. He never used to be this stupid he thought to himself. He'd never had anyone he'd counted as a friend either, not until he came here. For some reason this island seemed to be bringing out the best and the worst of him. He suspected it was doing the same to many of the other people from flight 815.

- - - - -

As Jack and his people climbed a hill Jack sped up and to catch up with Danielle and ask, "How much further?"

"About an hour," she replied as they continue to walk. She stopped suddenly, and so did everyone else as Ben and Alex appeared on the trail ahead of them.

Jack advanced to face the leader of The Others while Kate circled around to check the duo's trail and make sure they are alone. The rest of Jacks people stared in terrified silence, many of them checking the surrounding tree line certain they are about to come under attack.

"Hello, Jack," Ben said calmly as the enraged leader of the people of flight 815 got close enough to hear him. "We need to talk." Jack didn't reply. So Ben raised his voice and his eyes meet those of Naomi. "Hi, I'm Benjamin," he shouted to her. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure..."

Jack looked back at Naomi. "Don't talk to him!" he shouted then turned to Ben and said, "What do you want?"

There is no way Ben can mistake the menace in Jack's voice and inside he's smiling. This is going exactly as he'd planned. Soon the man before him would make the one mistake that would destroy this island. He suppressed his inner glee and replied calmly. "Just a moment of your time. To talk, you and me, alone."

"For what?" Jack demanded.

"Jack you've just killed seven of my people," Ben told him. "The least you can give me is five minutes."

Seven, Jack thought to himself. Seven is good, but how many did he send? He didn't reply choosing instead to wait on Kate. When she returned he asked her, "He alone?"

Kate nodded. "There's only two sets of tracks, his and hers," she replied slightly out of breath.

Jack nodded and looked at Ben his eyes narrowing . He was determination to find out what the man knew about the fate of Sayid, Jin and Bernard. After that, well, he'd decide what to do with him later. "Five minutes," Jack told him coldly.

Ben nodded at him and turned to lead him away from the group. Jack noticed a radio at Ben's waist and reached over grabbing it and taking it from him as they walked. Ben glanced briefly at Jack but didn't say anything.

Walking behind a group of trees they found several fallen logs. Ben sat on one and gestured jack to one across from him. "Have a seat," he said pleasantly. Jack sat down reluctantly and Ben continued. "Not so long ago, Jack. I made a decision, that took the lives of over forty people in a single day." And, he thought to himself, had it not been for the Valkyrie Danielle and the sons of the man now known as John Winchester, he'd have succeeded in destroying this damn island then. But out loud to Jack he said, "I'm telling you this because, history is about to repeat itself, right here, right now."

"Let me guess, you've got us surrounded," Jack said sarcastically. "And if I don't do what you say you're gonna, you're gonna kill all my people."

"No Jack," he replied. "You are." Because you are falling right into my hands, he thought silently. I have set the stage and now you and I together will bring this island's reign to an end he gloated silently to himself.

Jack laughed at Ben's remark. "And how am I going to do that, Ben?" He asked.

Ben's smile didn't reach his eyes. He knew the real answer. He knew that when Jack got his people into the helicopters and took them from the island that they would all die. Every last one of them. "The woman you're traveling with," he told Jack. "The one who parachuted onto the Island from that helicopter. She's not who she says she is."

"She's not, huh?" Jack said.

"No she's not," he replied.

"Then who is she?" Jack asked.

"She's a representative of some people who've been trying to find this Island," he replied. "Jack. She's one of the bad guys." And this time, he wasn't lying.

Naomi was, to be certain, a dead soul, one that had in the past been a warrior of this island. But she was one of his now. One who had foolishly bargained her soul away in her last lifetime. One who was now working for him.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Jack told him sarcastically. "You're the good guys."

"Jack, listen to me. If you phone her boat, every single living person on this Island will be killed," Ben told the other man knowing that the best lies always contain a few grains of truth. "So here's what has to happen. Get that device, the phone she carries with her, and give it me. I will turn around, we'll go back to my people, you will turn around and go back to your people." Ben knew Jack would not do so. He'd made sure of it with all the things he'd put the man though in the past few months. There was no way that Jack was going to trust anything that he said.

"I'm not going anywhere," Jack told him standing and preparing for a fight.

"May I have my walkie back?" Ben asked politely as he too stood up.

"What?" Jack asked thrown off by the polite request.

"There's something you need to hear," Ben explained. "Please." Jack reluctantly turned the radio over to Ben. The leader of the others changed the station then spoke into the radio, "Tom, are you there?"

"Yes," Tom replied over the radio. "I'm here."

Ben looked at Jack and said, "Your plan killed seven of my people, but the ones that you failed to kill are now holding your friends. Jin, Sayid, Bernard. At gunpoint."

Sayid's voice sounded clearly over the radio, "Jack don't give him anything!" The sounds of a struggle were heard next followed by several grunts and groans of pain.

"Leave him alone!" he heard Bernard yell.

"I said shut up!" Ryan's voice floated out of the radio followed by the unmistakable sounds of someone being hit.

Jack glared at Ben. "And what's to stop me from snapping your neck?" he asked.

Ben spoke quickly into the radio, "Tom, unless you hear my voice in one minute, shoot all three of them."

"Got it," Tom replied as Ben looked at his watch.

Ben set the radio down on the ground allowing Jack to pick it up if he wanted to but the other man just looked at it like it had grown a set of horns. "Bring me the phone, Jack," Ben told him calmly.

"Don't negotiate with him...," Sayid screamed over the radio.

"No!" Jin's voice said as the sounds of a beating once again filled the radio waves.

"Forty seconds," Ben said nonchalantly.

"No," Jack shouted. "I'm getting them all off the Island. All of them!"

"Let me ask you something, Jack. Why do you wanna leave the Island?" Ben asked. "What is it that you so desperately want to get back to? You have no-one. Your father's dead, your wife left you, moved on with another man. Can you just not wait to get back to the hospital? Get back to fixing things? It's twenty seconds now. Just get me the phone, Jack." Ben knew he'd won. He knew that Jack would not comply and it was wonderful to watch the other man suffer.

"No," Jack bit out.

Ben didn't look up from his watch. "Ten seconds," he told Jack. "Bring me the phone."

"No," Jack told him.

"I'm not bluffing!" Ben said.

"I WON'T DO IT!" Jack cried out in anguish.

"Five. Four. Three...," Ben counted down.

"No," Jack told him.

Jack jumped as the first shot rang out over the radio, and again with then next one and once again with the final shot. Anger and grief tore through him.

"So sorry, Jack," Ben said smartly to the grieving man.

It was more then Jack could bare and he snapped. In a single leap he was on Ben dragging the shorter man to the ground. Beating him viciously. Striking the leader of the others over and over again until blood splattered them both and Ben was practically unconscious.

He got up from the prone man and walked around in a circle still distraught. Spotting the Radio Jack picked it up and spoke into it. "Tom. Are you there?"

"Yeah, Jack," came the reply. "I hear you."

"I'm going to lead my people up to the radio tower. And I'm gonna make a call. And I'm gonna get em all rescued, every one of them," he told the other man his voice full of torment and seething with anger. "And then I'm gonna come find you, and I'm gonna kill ya."

He put the radio in his pocket and yanked Ben up dragging him back to the main group where he tossed him on the ground in front of them. "Tie him up," he told them. "He's coming with us." Leaving Ben to the rest of the group he turned and walked away, needing to compose himself before he continued to lead the group, afraid that if he didn't he would break long before they were rescued.

Kate ran after Jack. She caught up to him as he knelt on the ground and pulled a bottle of water from his pack. "What happened?" she asked. "What he say?"

"Its not important right now," Jack told her taking a drink.

Kate spotted his bloody, bleeding knuckles and removed her pack. "Jack," she said.

"Just, get everything together..." he continued ignoring her.

Kate lowered her backpack and knelt in front of him. "Your knuckles," she told him pulling out a cloth. "Here," she said cleaning them gently. As she worked she asked, "What happened?"

"He killed them," Jack told her starkly. "Bernard, Jin, Sayid, all three of them. He radioed the beach. And I let it happen." Jack heard his voice crack as he spoke and he didn't know if he was trying to convince her or himself. "I had to let it happen. We can't tell Rose, or Sun, not yet. We gotta keep moving, I promised Sayid, that we would keep moving."

"So why did you bring him back?" Kate asked coldly. "Why didn't you just kill him?"

"Because I want him to see it. I want him to experience the moment that we get off this Island, and I want him to know that he failed," he told her unshed tears watering his eyes. "And then I'll kill him."

Back with the group Alex approached her father. She knelt down beside him as sadness washed over her. She loved her father and she knew the demon within him was doing unrepairable damage to his body. His sensitive wings were already withered. She also suspected the tumor Jack had removed from Ben's spine was something the demon had put there just to win Jacks trust and cause her real father more pain. Alex and looked at him beaten and bloodied. She wanted to comfort her father but relished the though of the demon within being tormented too.

Danielle stepped forward and Alex looked up at her. Alex watched Danielle spread her wings.

"What?" she asked Danielle remembering that they are not supposed to know each other.

Ben lifted his head wearily. "Alex," he said not realizing they were already aware of their relationship. "This is your mother."

Danielle and Alex stared at each other, both holding back tears but not for the reason Ben thinks. Danielle put her hands out placing one on each side of Alex's face in an effort to comfort her. She wrapped her wings around her daughter pulling her close and infusing her with all the love she had within her. And all at once Alex knew they would find a way to save her father.

"I'll help you tie him up," Danielle said quietly knowing how difficult this was for her daughter.

- - - - -

They had stopped at the edge of a large field to check for danger before moving out. Sam's brow's furrowed and he put his hand up to shield his eyes from the sun for a better look at what had attracted his attention. "Is it my imagination or this a golf course?" he asked.

Dean smirked and glanced over at his brother thinking Sam was joking but when he saw the seriously confused look on Sammy's face he looked back out into the field in the direction his brother was looking. His eyes widened in surprise.

"He's right," Mary said grinning. "Ben caught a little flack from some of the others because Jack's people had made a golf course but we didn't have one."

John had just stepped out into the field when they all heard the sound of pounding hooves. Something seemed off in the sound though catching Sam and Dean's attention immediately. They glanced at each other then in the direction of the sound both drawing their weapons at the same time.

"Put those away boys," Mary told them. "It's just Jacob on Sleipnir."

Dean shook his head. "It doesn't sound right," he told her.

"It sounds like there's two horses," Sam said.

Mary smiled at them. "It Sleipnir," she said. "He's… special, look."

As the horse and rider finally topped the rise and came into view both boys stared in awe. The horse was moving fast, so fast that it appeared to have eight legs.

"Whoa," Dean said.

Sleipnir came to a sliding stop in front of John tossing his head and neighing loudly. Mary walked up and patted the animal on the cheek. "Hey there, Sleipnir," she said then slid her hand down the animal's neck petting it several times. "You seem happy to have your friend back." The black stallion's head rose up then fell again as it nodded in answer.

"Not nearly so happy as I am to have him with me," Jacob replied leaping down from the animals back and striding up to Mary.

"It's good to see you Jacob," she told him smiling brightly. "I was beginning to worry that I'd messed up the plan and we'd never get you out of there."

Jacob pulled her to him enveloping her in a bear hug. "And I was terrified Azkeel was going to kill you before help arrived," he told her. "It seems that we were both worried unnecessarily."

Thinking Jacobs hug lasted longer then necessary Dean cleared his throat loudly. When Jacob didn't release Mary he took a step in their direction. John put his hand on his son's arm stopping his forward motion. Dean turned to him and John shook his head. "It's okay, son," he told Dean at his son's show of jealousy.

"Don't worry Dean," Jacob told him. "While your mother is very beautiful and an absolutely wonderful woman. My heart belongs to my wife, Reija."

"Reija?" Dean asked. "As in Reija Vanadis?"

Odin nodded. "That is the name she uses when we live among humans."

"That's also the name of the woman who hired us to get rid of the poltergeist on the boat," Dean said. He was silent for a minute then he looked at Sam. "Set up," they both said together.

"It was your plan, son," Mary told Dean shaking her head. "So I guess you set your self up."

"My plan?" Dean repeated. "What the he…"

"You will need to discuss this later, We don't have time for it right now," Jacob interrupted. "I now know what Azkeel's plan is and if he succeeds this island will cease to be."

"Well don't keep us in suspense," John said.

"As you know, this island is here to support and train the souls of the Einherjar," Jacob told them.

"Yeah," Sam said. "But how's he going to destroy it?"

"He doesn't need to destroy it," Jacob told him. "He just needs to eliminate every soul on the island. This Valhalla will remain steadfast with even just one soul inhabiting it." Odin stopped and looked at each of them making sure they understood what he was saying.

"But…" Dean prompted. 

"There are signs that Ragnarok, the final battle, is upon us. One of those signs is the children of earth being born soulless and the only way that could happen is if there are no souls left to be reborn."

"He's going to kill everyone on the island," Mary said in shock. "He's going to make Valhalla believe the final battle is here and thus the island is no longer needed. Valhalla will simply fade away."

"Wait," Sam said. "If all he had to do was kill all the souls on the island why hasn't he already done it? I mean he's been here at least twenty five years right? So why hasn't he killed everyone already?"

"Because Valhalla can feel the evil upon it and has been fighting back," Jacob said. "She has been bringing souls to the island faster then Azkeel can kill them. He once tried a toxic gas that was developed in the pits of hell but it didn't work, the island brought forth a wind storm that sent the gas out to sea. It killed many of them, but there were survivors and soon she brought more souls to replace those that were lost."

"Yes," Mary said sadly. "But the toxin took it's toll, not only on the warriors, but on the Valkyries. Nearly forty Valkyries and warriors were lost that day."

"But the souls, the warriors were replaced right?" Dean asked. "I mean, there's got to be what, a hundred people on the island right now. How's he gonna kill them all before they can be replaced?"

"Azkeel's plan is four fold. First he found a way to block the arrival of new souls. He also has all the people from his community heading to my temple where he set a trap the moment they are all withing the walls of the temple it will be destroyed. He himself is meeting with Jack and his group. He's somehow infiltrated the group them and is manipulating Jack. And he is sending the two remaining demons to the beach camp to destroy those who stayed behind."

"How is is blocking the arrival of new souls?" John asked.

"He has a device that sends out sonic waves that make a bubble around the island. No soul can cross the waves, nor can I which also means no help can come to us."

"So where's the device?" Dean said. "We'll go shut it down."

"That is already being handled," Jacob replied.

"By who?" Sam asked.

"Charlie," Jacob said. "He is the only one on the island who has the skills required to stop the signal."

"The rock star?" Dean said. "You're leaving something that important to a Rock Star?"

"He can handle it," Jacob replied. Then grinned and added, "You trained him yourself."

"I did?" Dean asked frowning. "Can he do it? Is he really capable?"

"I believe he will succeed," Jacob told him. "But we still have other problems to handle. I have disarmed the trap at the temple and that leaves us with Azkeel himself and the other two demons that will attack the beach camp." He pointed at Dean, John and Mary. "You three will continue to the radio tower and Deal with Azkeel. Sam and I will go to the beach camp and deal with the other two demons."

**A/N - Well? Have I lost y'all or did I explain all that in a way that made sense? Click on that review button and let me know what you think!**


	25. Heroes

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own them, I just play with them!_

_A/N - Okay this one took a while but I can't blame it on my muse. She didn't wander off, in fact, she kept pushing and shoving me to get back to the laptop! Unfortunately however, my Aunt came over from Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday and while here she fell and broke her shoulder so I spent quite a bit of time with her. She's gone back home now and will probably have to go into surgery sometime this week. My sister, my beta, get's to take care of her now leaving me free to write again. My aunt will be fine (If she can keep from annoying my sister too much) and I'm back. It shouldn't be nearly as long between chapters now which is good because it's beginning to get tense! _

**Chapter Twenty Five**

"No," Dean said his eyes narrowing and his head shaking from side to side. "Absolutely not!"

"Jacob," John started to say.

"Sleipnir can only carry two," Jacob told them. "If you would prefer Sam be the one to face Azkeel then you may ride with me, Dean."

"Take dad then," Dean replied. "Sam and I stick together."

John shook his head sadly. "No son," he told Dean. "It won't work."

"Why?" Dean asked. "You've hunted plenty of demons. You can handle those two."

"No I can't," John replied.

"Why not?" Sam asked. "You are a better hunter then both of us put together dad." Then Sam thought of something else. "If you can't do it what makes you think I can?"

"Because you already have," John told him. "I tried to exorcise one not long ago. It didn't work. We think only a living person can perform the ritual. It's got to be either you or your brother."

Dean shook his head. "No, we're not splitting up. That never works out well," he replied. "We go to the radio tower, take care Ben then we go to the beach and finish off the other two."

"If we wait those at the beach will certainly be killed," Jacob told him.

"No," Dean said firmly frowning and shaking his head again. "Not gonna happen."

"Dean," Sam said quietly. "We can't just let them die."

"No!" Dean said. "The last time I let you out of my sight you got killed, Sam!"

Mary stepped up to Dean. She put her hand on his chin. "Oh, Dean," she said. "That was not your fault. It was mine."

"Your fault?" he said. "How could it possibly be your fault? You were already gone."

"There is no blame for anyone other then Azazel in that matter," Jacob said with complete conviction. "The demon is responsible for what occurred and you, Dean, did what needed to be done to save your brother, your father and myself. Your plan did not work exactly as you planned it, but it did work. That battle is over. You won it. Now we face another battle. This one must be fought on two fronts. If you have another plan on how we can accomplish this then please tell us. We will decide which is the better option and use it."

Sam watched Dean as he tried unsuccessfully to come up with another plan that would save both parties. He knew his brother's facial expressions better then anyone and the way Dean's brows furrowed together along with the frown on his face told Sam all he needed to know. "Dean," he said gently. "We don't have a choice. I'll be careful. I promise." Dean looked up making eye contact with him. "Besides," Sam said with a smirk. "I've got a God to help me out. Two demons against a Winchester and a God? We definitely have them outnumbered."

Dean ran his palm down his face. He looked to his parents, who nodded and then at Jacob who dipped his head in affirmation of what Sam had said. He ran his hand through his short cropped hair then sighed. "Fine," he told the God. "But if anything happens to my brother. You're going to have a lot more to worry about then a few demons trying to destroy your island!"

"I will take good care of him," Jacob replied. "I promise."

The decision made, Sam knelt down on the ground and opened the duffel bag. He pulled out a salt gun, some extra shells, a Latin exorcism book and a pair of rosaries. Standing up he handed them all to Dean and waited for his older brother to secret all the items except the shotgun into the many pockets of his jacket.

John stepped up to Sam. "You have the ritual memorized?" he asked. When Sam nodded he continued. "Remember there are two of them. You're going to need help so get the others to work with you."

"Dad," Sam replied exasperated. "I got it. I can do this."

"I know you can son," John said. "I just…"

Sam saw the look of concern that passed across his father's face. "I'll be fine dad."

John swallowed and nodded his head unable to reply for fear of saying something he really didn't want to say. He knew how good a hunter Sam was, but he was still his baby boy. He would always worry about him.

Mary smiled and closed the gap between her youngest son and herself. She hugged him tightly then stepped back. "I'll see you soon Sammy," she said stepping back right into John's waiting arms.

"You better be careful," Dean told him. "Don't make me have to kick your ass for getting yourself killed!"

Sam grinned at his brother. "I will," he said reaching out and gripping Dean's arm. "You take care of mom and dad."

Dean nodded without replying. Jacob swung up onto Sleipnir's back. He reached down to Sam who tossed the duffel bag over his shoulder and gripped Jacobs arm allowing the other man to help him onto the back of the waiting horse. As soon as Sam was settled Jacob signaled the animal and the beast took off going from a canter to a dead run in just a few strides.

The three older Winchester's watched them until they disappeared from sight then Dean turned to his parents. "Let's go get that bastard and get this over with," he growled out just before turning and heading in the opposite direction of his brother.

- - - - - -

Bonnie sat on the floor leaning against the wall of the station and bleeding profusely. Desmond untied Charlie who hurried over kneeling beside the injured woman. "What's the code?" he asked her.

"Go away," Bonnie replied painfully.

"Bonnie, let's just get this over with, OK?" Charlie said. "What's the code?"

"She's not gonna tell you, brother," Desmond told him.

"Yeah she's gonna tell me," Charlie replied.

"What makes you say that?" Desmond asked.

"Because you said its my destiny to turn off that jammer," he told her. "Okay, Bonnie, we're both gonna die down here. All right, let's be perfectly honest," Charlie told Bonnie. "A one-eyed maniac just killed your friend, he shot you in the back. It would appear that your glorious leader, Ben, put him up to it. Are you a sodding idiot? You have the opportunity to make Ben very very angry. Why would you not take that?"

Bonnie looked at Charlie and laughed half-heartily when she realized he was correct. "Five, four, five...;" she told him weakly.

"What?" Charlie asked.

Bonnie's head tilted to the side and she continued, her voice a bare whisper. "Eight, seven, sev..."

"Is that the code?" Charlie asked digging in around in his pocket until he found the marker he'd been using to the best moments of his life.

"Five, five, four, three, seven, seven...," Bonnie said.

"Start again," he told her prepared to write the code down on the ground.

Ignoring him Bonnie kept speaking. "Six, one."

"Stop, Bonnie," he told her. "Start from the beginning, start again." Bonnie's head dropped and Charlie knew they had to get the information soon otherwise it would be to late. "Bonnie, Bonnie!" he told her lifting her head up until their eyes met. "Wake up, stop. Bonnie, start again."

"Good vibrations," she whispered.

"What?" Charlie asked afraid she'd gone over the edge and was loosing it.

"Beach boys," she told him her eyes closed as she dealt with the intense pain of her wound. "Good vibrations. On the keypad, the numbers," She opened his eyes realizing that the man before her was probably the only person on the island that could have broken the code. The irony of the situation was not lost on her. "They're notes," she told the surprised rock star laughing weakly. "It was programmed by a musician."

Charlie gazed into her eyes in surprise as she lost consciousness. He glanced at Desmond who was looking at him. "Des? There's diving gear in those racks, yeah?" He said standing and heading for the communications room.

"Aye," he replied. "There's plenty.

"Why don't you take care of that," Charlie told him stepping toward the door. "I'll tap out "Good Vibrations."

"All right, mate," Desmond replied.

This was going well, too well, Charlie thought. Desmond's flashes, visions or whatever they were didn't include any of the things that had happened in the past few hours and now it looked like they were both going to get out of here without his vision coming true. Maybe, just maybe he would survive this and still get everyone off the island. "Hey, Des," he asked the other man.

"Aye?" Desmond replied.

"You get any flashes?" Charlie asked.

"No," Desmond told him shaking his head. "Nuttin."

Charlie nodded. "Meet you back here then," he said with a grin.

"Aye," Desmond replied turning to get the equipment.

Charlie entered the communication room and found the key pad. Working out the notes of the song in his head he entered the numbers corresponding with the notes. Entering the last note he looked up at the light and grinned when it went dark. "So much for fate," he said and turned to leave the room.

Desmond was on his way back to the lockers but stopped and looked around the room when he realized Mikhail's body was missing. A quick frantic search turned up nothing and Desmond looked into the depths of the water a chill running suddenly up his spine.

A tap sounded loudly on the communication room window. Charlie turned to find Mikhail outside in the water. A smirk split the one eyed man's face as he lifted his hand to the window and showed Charlie what he was holding. Charlie's eyes widened at the sight of the grenade in the other man's hand. His face paled as he watched Mikhail pull the pin.

"Charlie!" Desmond yelled running toward the room.

Charlie turned to his friend and realized that unless he did something quickly Desmond was going to die too. Rushing the door Charlie pulled it closed and locked it just before Desmond reached it and just as the grenade exploded shattering the communications room window. Water rushed into the room as Charlie stood still watching in shock and realizing that he really was about to die.

"Charlie!" Desmond screamed as he pounded on the door of the flooding room. "Charlie!"

Charlie turned to his friend and smiled knowing he had saved the other man's life and done his part in ensuring the rescue of Claire and Arron. He put his hand to the window staring Desmond in the face and making sure the other man knew he was okay with what was happening.

His hand slipped from the window and he pushed back towards the shattered window. Remembering his early childhood his lips moved silently in the lords prayer as his hands made the sign of the cross on his chest.

- - - - - -

Juliet and Sawyer, hidden from view of those at the beach camp, watched as Tom and Ryan paced back and forth arguing.

"It was an order, Tom," Ryan said. "We had to follow it."

"Ben doesn't know what the hell he's talking about," Tom shouted. "He's lost it! I mean look at what they did to us. Instead of putting three bullets in the damned sand, we should have killed them for real."

Sayid, Jin and Bernard listened to the two Other's argue as a third man held a gun pointed at them. Sayid watched closely waiting for a chance to break free.

"All they got left is three guys and four guns," Sawyer said quietly to Juliet.

Juliet rolled her eyes and replied, "And all we've got, James, are two people and no guns."

"So we'll wait til night," he told her hating the fact that she was right.

Wondering where the man kept his brains she said, "That isn't going to change the fact that we're unarmed, if you wanna kill yourself, fine, but before you go I can try..."

"Shh!" Sawyer hushed her. "You hear that?"

Juliet listened and was shocked to hear what sounded like a car engine. They both turned just in time to see a van plow out of the brush and zoom past them with Hurley sitting in the drivers seat an intense look on his face. He drove right through a tent and headed straight towards Ryan and Tom. Tom dove out of the way but Ryan stood his ground burning a clip from his forty five into the old Volkswagen. Bullets ricocheted off the van sending sparks flying but Hurley never wavered as ploughed right into him. The van bounced heavily as he ran the man over.

"Ryan!" Shouted the man covering the prisoners.

Hurley braked sharply and opened the door preparing to leave the van but Sawyer pushed the car door back shut. "Woo!" Hurley exclaimed with a grin as he realized who was outside the van.

"Stay in the bus, Hero," Sawyer said spotting Ryan's gun on the ground and grabbing it before jumping around the front of the van and preparing to shoot the man guarding Sayid, Jin and Bernard.

Before he could even think of pulling the trigger though, Sayid kicked the Other, knocking him down. He wrapped his legs around the other man's neck and tensed his leg muscles then twisted sharply. There was an audible snap as the fallen man's neck broke proving that even with his arms tied behind his back Sayid was still a formidable enemy. He nodded to Sawyer who turned his attention to Tom as the other man crawled along the ground trying to get to another gun.

Juliet stepped on the big man's hand causing him to cry out with pain as she reached down and picked up the gun and pointed it at him. "Stay right there, Tom." She said.

"Okay," Tom said turning to Sawyer. "I give up."

Sawyer paused glaring at the man for a few seconds then lifted the gun and shot him in the center of the chest. "That's for taking the kid off the raft," he told the dying man.

"Dude it was over," Hurley said. "He surrendered."

Sawyer turned to Hurley. "I didn't believe him," he said.

- - - - - -

Out in the jungle, Jack and Danielle led his weary group toward the tower. Ben's radio, in Jack's back pocket, suddenly came to life. "Attention, Others. Come in, Others," Hurley's voice shouted over the radio. "If you're listening in, I want you to know that we got you bastards. And, unless the rest of you wanna be blown up, you best stay away from our beach..."

The entire group stopped and gathered around Jack listening to the news coming from the radio.

"Hurley?" Jack said into the radio.

"Jack?" Hurley asked surprised to hear the other man's voice.

"Where are you," Jack asked. "What's going on?"

"Dude," Hurley told him. "I'm back at the beach."

"What?" Jack asked shocked at not even noticing that the big man had left the group.

"Yeah I went back to help Juliet and Sawyer I," he told Jack. "I saved them."

Jack closed his eyes briefly knowing that now he would have no choice but to tell the group that was with him what had happened to those who had stayed behind at the beach. "They're OK," he asked. "Juliet and..."

Hurley cut off the other man, replying Jack had a chance to finish his sentence. "Everyone's fine. Me, Sawyer, Juliet, Sayid, Jin, Bernard. We're all..."

Jacks eyes flew open as Hurley named off the last three people. "What, wait. Bernard and Jin and Sayid, they're with you?"

"Yeah dude," Hurley said. "I told you, I saved em all."

Jack's entire group shouted with relief. Hugs were given all around with the one between and Rose and Sun lasting the longest each of them shedding tears of happiness at the news.

Jack turned to face his people relief flooding through him as a grin split his face. "Hey," he said into the radio. "Stay where you are, we're almost up to the tower. You'll be safer there."

"Yeah I got ya," Hurley replied. "We'll stay put until you like, phone home."

Claire stepped towards Jack carrying Arron in his sling. She reached out for the radio and Jack turned it over to her knowing what she was about to ask. "What about Charlie, did he make it back yet?"

"Not yet," Hurley replied. "But they're probably paddling home as we speak. Don't worry, I'm sure he's fine."

It was a much more jubilant group that continued the trek towards the radio tower. Smiles had replaced frowns and quite chatter along with the occasional laugh had taken the place of the near deafening silence that had permeated the air before Hurley's radio transmission.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason, Aaron began to cry. "Sshh. hey Aaron, it's Okay, sweetie," Claire said trying to calm the baby.

"What's the matter?" Naomi asked her stepping up even with the other woman.

"I dunno, I think he's just a bit scared" Claire told her.

"Hard to blame him," Naomi said just as her phone beeped. She looked at it and grinned. The light was flashing green.

"What is it?" Claire asked.

"What's your boyfriend's name?" Naomi replied. "The rock star who swam down to the station?"

"Charlie, why?" Claire said.

"Charlie just got us rescued," the other woman told her just before she ran up the line of travelers looking for their leader. "Jack!! Jack, he did it!" She shouted. "Your friend bloody well did it!"

"What?" Jack asked.

"The green light, its on," she told him. "The jamming's stopped."

"Use it then," he told her.

"All right," she said and dialed. A voice came over the phone, "Four, four, two.." Naomi looked at Jack as a woman said something in French after the countdown. "What's this?" she asked.

"It's Danielle's message," he told her. "It's still blocking the signal."

"It doesn't matter," Danielle told them both. "We're here."

**A/N - Okay... you know what to do. Click that review thingy and let me know what you think!**


	26. One down

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own them, I just play with them!_

_A/N - Just a little warning here... this one's a long one but I think y'all will enjoy it!_

**Chapter Twenty Six**

Jacks people topped the rise of the hill and came out of the forest into a large open field. At the very center of the clearing on the uppermost portion of the hill a red and white radio tower stood tall beside a much smaller cement building. Jack pulled the building's door open and suddenly everyone could hear the French message playing over and over again.

"I recorded this sixteen years ago," Danielle said to Alex. "Three days before you were born." She didn't tell them what the message really was. She didn't tell them that Charlie, in his heroism had just played a huge part in saving this island and all of the people on it. Her message had finally gone out. After sixteen long years she was now certain that Freia would hear it and respond. She reached over and turned off the tape and removed it. "I guess we don't need it anymore."

"All right," Jack said to Naomi. "Do it."

Naomi looked at the phone paying particular attention to the lack of signal bars. "I can't get a signal in here." She stepped outside and everyone followed her. "I'm getting something!"

Ben was tied to a tree with Carl guarding him. A smirk crossed his face as he realized his plan was working. Soon everything would fall into place and by nightfall this island would perish.

"It's gonna work!" Kate said happily. "It's happening, we're gonna get off of this Island!"

"We'll celebrate when we're home," Jack said removing his backpack.

Ben couldn't help but push harder. "Jack!" He said though swollen lips. "I know you think you're saying your people. But you need to stop this. It's a mistake."

"The mistake was listening to you," Jack told him.

Ben sneered at Jack. "This'll be your last chance, Jack," he said telling the truth. "I'm telling you, making that call is the beginning of the end."

"I've got it," Naomi said excitedly. "I've got a signal!"

"Jack please," Ben said. "You don't know what you're doing!" And inside he laughed at the utter truth of that statement. Jack had no idea what he was calling down on his people both here and back in the real world. He was, almost singlehandedly, bringing on the destruction of the human race.

"I know exactly what I'm doing," Jack replied.

Naomi watched the phone's signal strength grow. Just as the strength reached it's highest capacity Naomi jerked and shuddered as blood spurted from her mouth. She tumbled to the ground, an ornamentally carved knife sticking out of her back. All eye's turn to the man who threw the blade and missing the small wisp of black smoke that rose from Naomi's corpse.

"John!" Jack yelled and bent to the fallen woman to check for signs of life but finding none.

Locke pulled out a gun and pointed it in Jack's direction. "Step back, Jack," he told the doctor.

Ben stared in shock at the woman on the ground. "No," he whispered to himself. This can not be happening, not after all his carefully made plans. Not after all he had gone through to come to this point.

Jack stood shaking his head in weary resignation at Locke. "What did you do?" he asked.

"What I had to," Locke replied wishing he had time to say more. Time to explain what was really going on. He liked Jack and considered him a friend but he would do what he needed to do to save Valhalla. "Now step back," he told Jack praying the man would listen. He had to get to the phone and destroy it.

Jack ignored John's request standing where he was and not backing down an inch. Naomi's phone rang all eyes turning to it briefly realizing the girl had time to press the speed dial number before she'd been killed.

"Stay away from the phone," Locke demanded.

Jack glared at John then made a grab for the phone as it continued to ring.

Locke knew he had to do something to stop that call. He took a quick shot at the ringing phone just as Jack reached for it. The entire group flinched but Locke's shot missed the phone because he was afraid he might actually hit Jack. He had no wish to hurt the man but when Jack grabbed the phone John was afraid he wouldn't have a choice.

"What are you doing, John?" Jack asked him.

"I don't wanna shoot you," Locke replied.

"Do it, John!" Ben yelled knowing that pandemonium would reign if he did and the call would go through sending the signal and thereby the islands exact location to the demon's on the other end of the line. "Shoot him! Do what you need to do..." Ben couldn't complete the sentence and he had no idea if his outburst did any good because Danielle smashed her elbow into his face breaking his nose and sending him into unconsciousness.

"Please," Locke begged Jack. "Put the phone down."

"No," Jack replied. "You're done keeping me on this Island."  
Cocking the barrel of the gun Locke tried one last time to make Jack see reason. "I will kill you if I have to," he told the doctor.

Jack, decided he'd had enough. He stepped closer to Locke and replied, "Then do it, John."

Kate's eyes widened and she took a step towards him. "Jack," she said in warning.

Locke glared at Jack and he tried to make himself pull the trigger but he couldn't. He lowered the gun in defeat. "Jack," he said quietly, plaintively. "You're not supposed to do this."

Everyone's eyes turned toward the phone in Jack's hand as the ringing stopped and a voice came on the line. "Minkowski. Hello?"

"Who is this?" Jack asked and watched as Locke turned and walked away heading back into the forest.

"Who is this?" the man on the other end of the line asked.

"My name is Jack Shephard," he replied. "Are you, are you on the boat, the freighter?"

"How'd you get this channel?"

"Naomi," Jack said. "Naomi told us about your search team. About the boat."

"Naomi. You found her?" the other man asked. "Where is she? Who are you?"

"I'm one of the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815," Jack told him. "Can you get a fix on our location?"

"Hell yeah we can. Sit tight," he said. "We'll be right there."

Shouts of joy and happiness break from Jack's group as Jack and Kate looked at each other tired grins on both their faces. Neither of them noticed that Ben had regained consciousness. A smirk crossed the bound man's bloody face as he rose up and leaned back against the tree. Only Danielle and Alex realized that something is terribly wrong.

- - - - -

Juliet stood on the beach at watching the group from flight 815. She was continually surprised by their quick growth as warriors. Hurley had certainly impressed her but none had changed more then Charlie. She turned and looked out over the ocean in the direction of the underwater station.

She gasped suddenly her eyes seeking something beneath the water that she couldn't see but could feel. She turned to the group at the beach camp. None of them were looking in her directions so she spread her wings and launched herself into the sky, soaring up above the submerged station then folding her wings and diving down into the depths of the ocean.

Her inner sight led her straight to him. She could sense his body's struggle for life but realized that while his body fought to survive his mind was at peace. Pulling him gently through the broken window of the submerged station she held him close as she used the powerful strokes of her wings to bring them both to the surface as quickly as possible.

Rather then attempt to take to the air with wet wings while carrying the limp form of the man in her arms Juliet stayed in the water again taking advantage of the use of her wings to bring them to the shore as fast as she could. "Sawyer!" she yelled as she dragged the unconscious man onto the beach.

She didn't look to see if her call had attracted the other man's attention, instead she tilted Charlie's head to the side and straddled his legs then placed her hands one on top of the other and pushed on his upper abdomen. She watched water spurt from the prone man's mouth as she heard the pounding of several sets of feet drawing closer.

"What happened?" Sawyer asked sinking to the ground beside them.

"I don't know," she replied as she pressed again and watched more water spill from his mouth. "I saw struggling so I went to help."

"How long was he under?" Sayid asked coming up beside Sawyer.

"I don't know," she said continuing to perform the Heimlich maneuver until no more water flowed from him. Then she moved quickly to the side opposite Sawyer, straightened Charlie's head and tilted it back. Pinching his nose closed she blew two quick breaths into his mouth and watched his chest rise then fall.

"Charlie!" Hurley said sinking to his knee's near his friends head. "Is he…"

Putting her fingers on his neck Juliet was elated to feel a faint pulse. Faint, but there and she knew that as long as he had a pulse she could still keep him here on the island. If his pulse ceased his soul would be immediately reborn as a newborn baby in the world of the living. "Come on Charlie," she murmured. "Don't you give up on me!" She bent over again and blew another breath for him.

"This can't be happening," Hurley said quietly shaking his head.

Sawyer surprised all of them by kneeling beside Charlie and beginning CPR. "What?" he asked seeing all the surprised looks around him. "I'm not doing mouth to mouth, but I can do compressions."

Juliet counted the compressions and after five of them she bent and breathed for Charlie again, then checked his pulse. "It's stronger," she told Sawyer as he performed another set of five compressions. She breathed again for him and had barely removed her lips from his when the rock star coughed and his eyes popped open wide.

Sawyer and Sayid quickly turned him onto his side to help him expel the last of the water. He coughed several more times then lay back on the sandy beach and said, "That's the last time I play anything by the Beach Boys!"

- - - - -

John led the way now, Mary followed and Dean brought up the rear. Their pace had increased and they took far fewer breaks since Jacob had told them of the coming battles. All of them wanted to get to the tower take care of the problem there, then head for the beach to help Sam with his own fight.

The forest ended suddenly giving way to a rather large field. At the center of the field stood the radio tower and just as they were approaching the tower a shot rang out. Dean stepped up, pushing Mary behind him his gun in his hand as he scanned the area. John too had his weapon out and was standing protectively in front of, but slightly to the side of Dean.

Movement from the back of the towers building drew their attention and both of them pointed their guns at the figure coming from the other side of the tower. "Locke," Dean said lowering his gun.

Locke stopped in his tracks his hands raised slightly at the sight of the Winchesters guns pointed at him. "It's just me," he told them. "I was about to start looking for you guys."

"What was that shot?" John asked.

"Is Ben here?" Dean asked simultaneously.

Locke looked at John and answered him, "I tied to stop Jack from making a mistake. It didn't work." Then he turned to Dean and said. "Yes, Danielle has him tied to a tree."

"Good," Dean replied. "That's going to make our job a little easier, but we're going to need to get him into a Devil's trap before we start the ritual otherwise he's going to just vacate Ben's body and leave."

John pointed to a cement slab at the back of the tower. "That'll work," he told Dean. "Get started, we're not going to have too much time before he realizes something is up." He watched Dean go to the slab and began preparations. Mary stepped up to John and looked at Locke, "John," she said. "Tell us what happened?"

As sounds of revelry came from the other side of the building, Locke explained, leaving nothing out and he got to the part about not killing Jack his head sank and he sighed. "I may have just cost us the battle, but I couldn't bring myself to shoot him."

Mary grinned at him. "I would think not," she said. "He's your son Locke you could no more shoot him then I could shoot one of my own children."

"But he…" Locke began.

"He's young," John replied. "He and his twin sister were newborn souls the last time they were here. You can't blame either of them for not knowing what was happening. You know how Valhalla works."

Locke nodded. "Yes," he replied. "But how do we save them now? This entire island is about to become demon central."

"We take it one step at a time," Mary told him. "First we need to get that phone and destroy it." She looked over at Dean who had just finished the devil's trap. "It's time," she said.

They walked over to where Dean was looking over his handiwork. "Good job," John said to his son eliciting a surprised look from the younger man. "What?" John asked.

"Nothing," Dean said looking curiously at his father. He was still not used to the praise John tended to heap on him here on the island. It was completely out of character for his father.

"You better wait here for now," John told him. "As soon as Ben sees you he's going to know what you are. We need to have him trapped first."

Dean nodded at the unexpected explanation another of those new traits his father has been displaying. "Be careful Dad," Dean told him. "Jack's people are very loyal to him. You need Jack on your side if we're going to do this."

"Don't worry son," John said. "I know exactly what I'm doing."

John walked around the building followed closely by Locke and Mary. He knew who Jack was the moment he saw him even though he'd never met the man. It was the way he carried himself, the way he looked over the rest of the group with a grim smile on his face that barely covered the relief he was obviously feeling.

John raised his gun and walked silently up behind Jack. Mary and John stopped several yards behind him and waited. The crowed grew suddenly silent as one by one they spotted John and the gun he now held pointed at Jack. "I'll take that," he told Jack.

Jack spun and faced him. "Who are you?" he asked not making any move to comply.

"The man who is going to put a bullet in your head if you don't give me that phone," John told him coldly cocking the gun for effect.

Jack looked over at Locke, "Friends of yours John?"

Mary put a restraining hand on Locke's arm silently telling him not to answer.

"Jack," Danielle said. "You should do what he says."

"Why?" Jack asked.

John looked Jack in the eye and realized that even though he was a very young soul, this man was very willing to sacrifice himself to ensure what he thought was the safety of his followers. Realizing that Jack would not give up the radio by threats to himself John decided to take much more drastic measures. He turned the gun slightly pointing it now in the direction of the woman holding the infant. "Because if you don't I will begin killing everyone here, starting with her," John told him. "And you will be the last person standing Jack. Tell me… is it worth it to you?" It was a bluff, but unlike Locke, John was very good at making people believe he would do something so horrible.

Claire took a step back. Sun and Rose stepped in front of her and blocking her from John's sight.

Jack glared at the man before him and realized that he meant exactly what he said. He would kill them all just to get the radio. He weighted his options. "Fine," Jack told him pulling the phone from his back pocket and tossing over. "It's too late for you to stop us anyway. Help is already on the way."

Mary turned to Danielle. "Bring him," she said indicating Ben. "We're taking him back to the temple."

"No!" Jack said sharply.

"I don't think you're in any position to stop us," John told him wiggling the gun as a reminder. "But if you'd like to come with us you're welcome to join us." He dropped the radio and stepped on it several times crushing it into the dirt and making sure there was no chance that it could be used again.

Alex and Danielle untied the ropes holding Ben to the tree. They bound his hands together in front of him leaving a lead of the rope to control him. "It's too late John," Ben said with a grin. "You can no longer stop the inevitable. This island is doomed now and so is every one on it."

Talk welled up immediately among the group from 815. None of them had any idea what Ben was talking about but each of them felt the conviction of his words. "What did you do?" Jack demanded.

"I didn't do anything, Jack," Ben smirked. "You did. I warned you but you wouldn't listen."

John lowered the gun and put a restraining hand on Jack's shoulder stopping him from attacking Ben. "That's not the way," John told him quietly.

Alex took the lead rope and yanked on it causing her possessed father to stumble as she dragged him forward. Mary and Locke led the way around the building leaving John to handle Jack and his people.

- - - - -

Dean was leaning against the building waiting, not so patiently, for his parents return. Hearing footsteps he turned and grinned when he saw Kate come around the side of the building. "Dean," she said relief evident in her voice. "I need your help. There's some mad lunatic with a gun pointed at Jack. He's going to kill him if we don't stop him."

Dean laughed at the description of his father. "Kate," he told her. "There's something you should know."

Kate glared at him. "I'm serious Dean," she said. "We've got to save him."

"Relax sweetheart," Dean replied. "My dad won't hurt him. He just needs the radio… and Ben."

"Your dad?" Kate said huffing. "Dean, what the hell is going on?"

"Ben's possessed by a demon," he told her. "His friends are on the other end of the radio, on the boat that all of y'all are so eager to get onto. We need to get the demon out of Ben then stop the ones that Jack has just invited to the party. Oh, and when we're done we need to high tail it back to the beach to help Sammy take care of the two going after the rest of your people."

Kate's face paled as she listened to him. She was about to reply when they saw Mary walk around the other corner of the building followed closely by Alex, Ben and Danielle.

Ben stopped in his tracks the moment he saw Dean his eyes narrowing as he realized exactly what he was. "You don't belong here," Ben told him.

Dean rolled his eyes at the absurdity of the statement. "And you do?" he asked keeping the demon's eyes on him instead of the ground. "Did you forget to read the fine print when you decided to break the rules?" He asked. "You break a rule, we break a rule. That's the way it works dude."

Danielle shoved Ben hard pushing him the final few steps into the Devil's Trap. Alex dropped the rope and all three women stepped away from the demon making sure they were all outside the lines carefully drawn on the ground. At first Azkeel didn't realize his predicament but when he tried to take a step towards Dean and hit the invisible wall of the trap he looked down.

Dean grinned at him. "Looks like the only place you're going is straight back to hell."

"No!" Ben yelled at Dean. "You can't do this to me! I beat this island, you can't defeat me!"

Dean shook his head and leaned down towards Kate, "Some demons just don't know when to shut up."

"Dean," John said coming around the corner followed by the entire group of Jacks people. "How many times have I told you not to piss off the enemy?"

"Yeah," Dean said with a smirk. "I know Dad, but sometimes it's just too hard to resist." He took the bottle of holy water out of his jacket pocket and tossed it to his father then pulled out the book Sam had given him. He opened the book to the page Sam had marked for him looked up at Ben with a smirk and motioned to John that he was ready to start.

John splashed the holy water on Ben but nothing happened.

Ben laughed at John his eyes turning yellow. "You should know better John," he said. "Holy water doesn't work on me. I'm not your a average demon you know."

Jack and his people watched as Dean started reading from the book. _"EGO adjure vos , Diabolus , hostilis of man's salus , agnosco justicia quod goodness of Deus Abbas , quisnam per iustus ratio has damno vestri superbia quod invidia," _he said and paused long enough for his father to splash more holy water on the demon. He grinned as this time smoke arose from the demon.

"Dean," John said motioning for him to continue.

_"Recedo ex is vernula of Deus, quos Senior has no in Suus own statua adorned per Suus munia , quod has misericordaliter adopted ut Suus parvulus."_

John struck the demon again with holy water and steam, thicker then before poured from the creature.

_"EGO adjure vos , Diabolus , procer illae universitas , agnosco vox quod vires of Jesus Sarcalogos , quisnam victum vos in solitudo , victum vos in ortus , spolio vos in Crux crucis , quod ortus ex tumbus , transfero vestri victor ut regnum of lux lucis…"_ Dean paused again as his father did his part in the ritual.

This time when the holy water struck the demon it screamed in agony. "You are all going to die!" it said. "Even if you send me back you're all dead anyway!"

_"EGO adjure vos , Diabolus , decipio of genus hominum , agnosco Phasmatis of verum quod venia , quisnam repello vestri insidiae quod confundo vestri lies : recedo ex is creatura of Deus , quos Is has subcribo per uranicus signum ; secedo ex is vir quos Deus has no a sanctus templum per a phasmatis unction."_

The demon fell to his knees as John splashed him again. The steam rose now in a near steady stream from the demon as John continued to splash him.

_"Licentia , proinde , Diabolus , in nomen of Abbas quod of Filius quod of Sanctus Phasmatis ; licentia per fides quod votum of Templum ; licentia per subcribo of sanctus Crux crucis nostri Senior Jesus Sarcalogos , quisnam ago quod reigns pro umquam quod umquam." _Dean slammed the book closed with the final word of the ritual and all of them watched as Ben's head snapped back and black bile like smoke ripped from his throat and streamed away.

"Daddy!" Alex called tears running down her young face as she stepping into the devil's trap just in time to catch her father before he fell to the ground.

And in the awed silence that followed the exorcism of the demon within Ben everyone could clearly hear Dean tell Kate, "Not bad, huh?"

**A/N - Alright, so... tell me what you think? Did Azkeel go down just a little to easy? I thought so, but I didn't really want to drag it out either. There's still way to much story to tell to get stuck on that part of it for too long. Anywho... click on that review button and tell me what you think! I love reviews they are the residuals I live off of!**


	27. Battle on the beach

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own them, I just play with them!_

_A/N - Finally done witht this chapter... again. There's nothing like writing a chapter that you totally love then find out you've messed up big time! Originally I had Kate playing a major role in this chapter but since Kate is with Dean she couldn't also be with Sam! Silly me! Now though, this one is all about Sammy so have fun!_

**Chapter Twenty Seven **

The last time Sam had ridden a horse had been at Caleb's when he was fifteen. John had left him with Caleb and taken Dean on a hunt for a Werewolf. Caleb had a pair of horses and a pretty little neighbor girl who loved to ride. Sam grinned at the memory. She'd ridden more then just the horse that weekend and Sammy had finally figured out why Dean spent so much time hitting on the girls. It was also when he realized that they'd always leave them. 

Sleipnir was different. His gait was so smooth it was almost like riding a motorcycle. He smiled again, remembering his encounter with Dani, the lady hunter and empath he'd met at the Roadhouse last year. Their lives were weird, but they certainly had their moments.

He looked down at the ground as it sped past going nearly as fast as Dani's motorcycle had. The wind whipped by them so fast it made holding a conversation an impossible feat which was just as well because while Sam had a lot of questions he just wasn't sure if he really wanted the answers.

They broke from the forest, the speedy horse running along the beach at a mile eating pace. A sudden loud screeching sound drew Sam's attraction back towards the forest. His eyes widened as several trees shook violently then fell to the ground ahead of them, but slightly inland. He recognized the sight and sounds immediately. "Can he go any faster?" he shouted at Jacob worried that they wouldn't arrive at the beach camp in time.

Jacob neither indicated he'd heard Sam's request, nor encourage Sleipnir in any way, but the horse leapt forward his pace increasing to an alarming speed. Sam gripped Jacob's sides harder as the sudden bust of speed nearly unseated him. "Whoa," he muttered to himself. "This horse can really move." Sleipnir neighed loudly and threw his head as if in reply. "You can understand me," Sam said incredulously. The horse laughed in response as its powerful stride overtook and passed the demons screeching in the forest.

They rounded a bend of the beach, the camp coming into view. Everyone on the shore was staring into the forest, their eyes on the spot where the trees were swaying violently as the demons approached. As he watched Juliet yelled something and pointed towards a group of trees near the beach. They all started running for the trees.

Juliet stopped and turned in their direction. Sayid, Sawyer and Jin also paused and watched their approach weapons in hand. Bernard, Hurley helping a staggering Charlie continued their run towards the trees. "Good girl, Juliet," Sam said quietly as he saw them disappear into a copse of Banyan trees. "You remembered."

Sleipnir came to a sliding stop in the sand just yards from the people on the beach. Sam slid easily from the animals back, turned to Jacob and said, "I know you can't fight them, but can you slow them down?"

Jacob grinned and said, "With great pleasure." He and the beautiful black horse spun and darted into the forest to head off the approaching demons.

Sam turned to the group of people left standing on the beach. "Sayid," he asked looking at the bruised and battered man. "You up to this?"

"Tell me what to do," the other man replied.

Sam tossed him the duffle bag. "Load the shot gun with the white shells, hand out the bottles of water, get the salt out and get ready for hell because it's bearing down on us fast!" He turned to Jin. "I need something to draw with," he told him making drawing motions with his hand just in case the man didn't understand. Jin nodded and took off at a run. "Sawyer, I need a tarp, at least twelve by twelve, more then one if you can find them."

Sawyer was about to say something but Juliet cut him off, "We don't have time Sawyer, Jacob's not going to be able to hold them off for long." Sawyer closed his mouth and started checking the remaining shelters.

"Juliet," Sam said turning to the Valkyrie. "How do you feel about being the bait?"

"Tell me what to do?" she said.

Jin returned carrying several charred sticks from the fire. "This will work?" he asked.

Sam nodded. "It should," he replied as Sawyer returned with not one, but four tarps. They spread them out and Sam went to work on the first one. "Each of you take a tarp and draw exactly what I draw," he told them. "It has to be exact and make sure the lines are solid and thick. If there's a single broken line the trap won't work."

As quickly as possible they drew the devil's trap on all four tarps. The sounds of the demons screeching as they slowly drew closer pushed them to complete the task swiftly.

Once they were done Sam explained his plan. Working together they set up the camp the way Sam instructed them too. Once everything was ready Sam inspected their work and nodded. "We're set," he told them turning in the direction the enemy would come from. "Juliet," he said. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Why does it have to be Juliet?" Sayid asked. "I can do it."

"No," Sam replied. "The demons are going to concentrate their attention on Juliet and I. You three have to accomplish the tasks I gave you. It is important that we stick to the plan. No matter what happens, no matter what you see I need everyone to do exactly what I told you too."

"Why…" Sawyer started to ask but the sound of pounding hooves drew their attention towards the forest once again.

"Get to your places," Sam shouted. "Now!"

The group scattered. Sam looked over to where Hurley, Bernard and Charlie were hiding in the tree ring. He had protected the ring of tree's with the addition of a few power symbols he'd recalled from the Book of Solomon that Bobbie had loaned him. Each of the three was also armed with both salt and holy water just in case.

Sleipnir burst from the trees with a loud neigh he spun in a circle turning back to face the forest. Jacob sat calmly on the horses back holding a long staff in his right hand. The trees bent and the screeching of the demons sounded loud as they broke from the tree line and approached the horse and rider.

Jacob raised his staff and spoke to the demons. He told them to leave, that if they did not then they would be defeated and sent back to pits of hell. He told them that their reign on this island had come to an end. He told them all of this in a very ancient form of Latin that Sam was sure only he and perhaps Juliet could understand.

The dark smoke that were the demons circled them, their circle growing increasingly smaller until they were nearly touching the black horse. Sleipnir neighed loudly and reared, his hooves making contact with the smoke of one demon. The demon screeched again and backed away just enough to be out of range of the horse's deadly hooves.

Sam moved to his place on the beach, he took a deep calming breath and prayed for the strength to see this through. "Hey," he shouted at them. "You want some fresh meat?" Sam smirked at that, thinking Dean would be proud of him. "Well," he muttered to himself. "Maybe not, since I'm teasing a demon to draw its attention." He watched one of the demons break off from Jacob to move in his direction.

Sam let it come without moving. The demon stopped suddenly and circled him staying just outside the devils trap that was drawn on the tarp that he was standing on. Sam smirked at the creature even though his heart was pounding. He needed to keep this one distracted long enough for Juliet to get the other one inside the snare. "What's wrong? You don't want to come in and play?"

A log from one of the fallen shelters sprang from the ground and was hurtled in his direction. Sam easily ducked the flying object and laughed at the demon. Taking a page from his brothers' book he mocked the creature. "No need to throw a temper tantrum like a baby," he told it then cocked his head to the side and continued. "Unless you are a baby. Are you a demon baby?"

The demon screeched at Sam and hurled more logs and branches. This time it was much harder to duck them all and he was caught several times by the flying objects. He was knocked backwards almost sending him outside the protective circle. Wipping the blood from his head, he continued to taunt the demon keeping its attention focused on him. "Is that all you've got?" he asked getting up and making a show of dusting off his pants. "Come on, what are you some kind of dysfunctional demon? I've seen more fight from a ten year old girl!" Looking past the demon he was antagonizing he saw Juliet leave her hiding place and move to the center of camp.

The second demon saw her and immediately left Jacob and his steed to attack her. She let loose with a very convincing display of a terror filled scream and Sam had to admit it was an ear piercing demon enticing scream. Enough so that his attacker turned, saw her and charged in her direction.

"NOW!" Sam yelled as the demons converged on Juliet from two different directions. Sayid, Jin and Sawyer released the ropes they'd been holding from their hiding places. The tarps they had hung earlier unrolled displaying the devil's traps and forming a triangle with Juliet in its center. Once both demons were within the triangle he shouted again, "Juliet!"

At the sound of her name Juliet ran as fast as she could. One of the demons was nearly on top of her, but with a few swift strokes from her powerful wings she put on a burst of speed and cleared the triangle. The demon chasing her slammed into the invisible wall of the trap and screeched in frustration. The second demon saw the other trapped and tried to escape only to find out that it too was inside the confines of the snare they had set for them.

A cheer went up around camp as soon as Juliet was out of the danger zone and it became obvious that both demons were stuck inside the triangle of the devil's traps. Sam ran forward to the edge of the triangle leaving Sawyer to be sure Juliet had come to no harm in her brief time amid the demons. "Sayid, Jin!" he yelled getting the other men's attention. They faced him, but both had already pulled the bottles from where they'd had them stashed. "Hit them with it!" he yelled. "Don't stop till I tell you."

Before the two men could comply, the demons both turned in the direction he and Jacob had come from. They stood still and silent for a few seconds then screeched in unison as they swirled violently around the confines of their invisible cage stirring the sand into a dust devil that grew with each circuit the demons took.

"Sam!" Jacob shouted galloping up to him. "You brother has succeeded. You must do it now, before they break free!"

Having noticed the same thing that Jacob had Sam merely nodded and began the exorcism. He prayed he was able to complete it before the stirring sand wiped away the markings on any of the tarps. "Sayid, Jin, Sawyer, NOW!" he shouted and began the incantation of the ritual exorcism that would send them both back to hell.

As he spoke the Latin rite he watched the sand buffet the tarps thankful that most of it was unable for some reason to penetrate the walls of the trap. Still, the black markings slowly turned grey as the sand wore on the them. He spoke faster being sure to pronounce each word exactly as he'd been taught. Sayid, Jin and Sawyer stood along the triangle each on a different side as they sprinkled the holy water into the mass of black smoke and sand. They were becoming more and more blinded by the raging storm within the trap, the small amount of flying sand that made its way out wasn't just working on the tarps it was peppering all of them, including Sam.

With only one line left of the ritual the trap to Sam's left was broken and the demons broke free. Sam was picked up, thrown threw the air and slammed into one of the shelters crashing through it painfully as both demons followed him. He started the last line, even as he was picked up again and slammed into a tree. Darkness threatened to take him, but he beat it back and continued the ritual as he was lifted again.

He fell suddenly into the soft sand and the demon's screamed in rage as the Hurley, Charlie and Bernard sprayed them with holy water allowing Sam to lift himself to his knees and finish the last line of the ritual. They all watched as both demons diminished and imploded.

Sam stood and turned to the people on the beach a grin on his face. They looked at him silently in question unsure if it was over. Not having the strength to speak he nodded at them and cheers again broke out in the camp but Sam's world tilted as darkness set in. He felt several arms wrap around him keeping him from hitting the ground again. "We've got you," he heard Sayid say just before unconsciousness claimed him.

**A/N - Well, was it good for you? Oh, and for those of you are interested in Sammy's encounter with Dani, the Motorcycle riding, empathic hunter... she makes her appearance in my storyies, "A Passing Fantasy" (erotic oneshot) and "Murder in Montana".**


	28. Memories Restored

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own them, I just play with them!_

_A/N - Oh man y'all, I got to tell ya, my Muse is not at all pleased with me! She's been kicking me in the ass for a week trying to get me to write another chapter, but between working ten hour days, my daughter getting engaged and Christmas looming right around the corner, I have been having a hell of a time finding a few minutes to just sit down and write! I appologize for how long it took to get this chapter up but here it is and I'll work on the next one as soon as I get a chance. Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed this story.(and all my others too!) If it weren't for you I probably wouldn't have the courage to continue to write._

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

Desmond swam up on shore slightly south of the beach camp. He removed his borrowed scuba tank and walked sadly towards the camp wondering how he was going to tell Claire that Charlie was dead.

Loud screeching rent the air, the sounds coming from the beach camp. He looked up expecting to see the tree's waving and falling but instead a plum of sand spiraled up from the beach. Shouting sounded between the screeches and he recognized the voices of Sayid, Sawyer and several of the other people of camp. He thought too that he'd heard Charlie's high pitched timber among those voices but he knew it was just his mind playing tricks on him.

Cautiously he approached the camp, sticking close to the tree line and preparing to make a run for the tree's the Winchester brothers had told them would protect them from the smoky creatures.

Rounding the final bend in the beach he hid behind a stand of banyan trees and watched the pandemonium at the camp. Two black smoky creatures swirled around the center of the camp. It took a few minutes for Desmond to realize that they were somehow trapped there. Sam was speaking in a language he didn't recognize but it was Juliet, Sayid and Sawyer's actions that puzzled him. They each had water bottles and were sprinkling the water on the trapped creatures.

Sand was spinning everywhere and even from this distance Desmond could tell all of the people at the beach were going to have some serious sand burns. Something happened that he couldn't see because suddenly the creatures shrieked and broke free from their invisible prison. Together they attacked Sam lifting him and tossing him around like he weighted nothing.

Desmond winced each time the younger man was thrown into a shelter shattering the branch walls before being picked up and slammed into a tree. Sam never even flinched though and continued speaking. Blood was pouring down the side of Sam's face as he was lifted again.

Shouts drew his attention to the opposite side of the camp and he watched as three people came yelling out of the banyan tree's brandishing bottles. Desmond's eyes widened as he recognized them. "Charlie," he said to himself a smile splitting his face as he ran towards the man he thought dead. "Charlie!" he shouted.

As he approached them Hurley, Charlie and Bernard splashed the water on the smoke creatures eliciting screeches from the two dark forms and causing them to drop Sam into the sand. Juliet, Sawyer and Sayid raced up just as Sam stopped speaking and the smoke monsters imploded.

The noise of the battle ended and the beach grew eerily silent as all eyes turned to Sam for confirmation that the fight was over. The bloodied and bruised hunter nodded just before his knee's buckled and his eyes rolled up into his head. Sayid and Sawyer caught him and with the help of Juliet lowered the big man gently to the sand.

Desmond ran up to Charlie, grabbed him in a bear hug and lifted him off the ground. "Charlie!" he shouted. "Bloody hell I thought you were dead!"

"So did I, mate," Charlie told him.

"How did you get out of the room," Desmond asked. "How did you get back up? I thought you'd drowned!"

"I don't know," Charlie said happily. "One minute I was stuck down there and the next thing I knew Juliet had me in a lip lock!"

They both turned to look at the blonde who was kneeling on the ground cradling Sam's head in her lap. Juliet brushed a few strands of bloody hair from his eyes and looked up. "Jacob," she said. "Can you…"

"Of course," Jacob replied before she finished. "His brother would be hunting me next if I did not help him." He bent down and placed his hand on the side of Sam's head. "In fact, he might still do so when he finds out that Sam was injured in this battle." He called on his abilities and within moments Sam was waking, his injuries healed.

The small group of people stood in awe as they watched Jacob miraculously heal Sam's wounds. "Okay, Leo," Sawyer said breaking the silence. "With those white lighter abilities of yours, who needs the charmed ones?"

Jacob stood and turned to Sawyer who, like Sayid and Juliet had sand burns on all the exposed parts of his skin. He reached out laying his hand on Sawyer's arm and when the man was healed Jacob reached up to the near panicked man, touched his temple and said, "Remember."

Memories assaulted Sawyer faster then he could assimilate them. Past lives and deaths, centuries spent on Valhalla with his brother and his wife all blended together making it difficult at first to determine what happened when. By the time Sawyer was able to focus on the here and now Jacob had moved on and was healing Sayid's injuries.

When everyone had been healed and their memories restored Jacob turned to Sam and said, "You, my friend, can not have your memories returned at this time. You will be returning to your current life and those memories would do more harm then good."

Only slightly disappointed Sam told him, "Its okay, I understand."

Jacob turned to Juliet and said, "You must lead them to the temple. Richard should be there already." He turned back to Sam and said. "I must go to your brother. He has defeated Azkeel, but I feel the threat to this island is far from over. Go with Juliet and prepare the Temple in anyway you deem necessary. All of you must assist him in this."

Jacob leapt onto Sleipnir's back and galloped away as they watched.

- - - - -

Alex knelt on the ground, her father cradled in her lap. "Daddy," she cried.

Ben reached up and put a hand on her cheek. A smile played across his face as he told her, "Shhh, its okay sweetheart. I'm still here." He looked up at Danielle who stood over them, her wings spread protectively. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Ben," John said stepping up. "We need to know its plan, as much as possible. We have the basics but we need to know where they're going to arrive."

"Can't you wait a little while," Alex demanded. "He's hurt or can't you see that?"

"Believe me sweetheart," John told her. "I'm very aware of your father's injuries, but this can't wait."

"Alex," Ben said. "He's right. We don't have much time." He stood with the help of his daughter and his wife. Danielle stepped closer and enveloped them both in the warmth of her wings.

Ben pointed at Jack. "The satellite phone," he said. "It's a beacon for them. Where ever that phone is, that's where they'll appear."

John turned to Jack who had been watching and listening quietly in an attempt to understand what was happening. "Jack," John said interrupting them. "I need the phone."

"Why?" Jack asked suspiciously, his eyes darting from John to Ben and back again.

"We need to destroy it," John told him.

Jack took a step back away from John and Ben. "No way," Jack said gripping the phone tighter. "Not after all this."

John took a step in Jack's direction, he manner threatening. "Jack," he said sternly. "You have no idea what is really going on."

"Dad," Dean cautioned.

"Dad?" Jack repeated. "This is your father?"

"Yes," Dean told him. "And he's telling you the truth. The demon that was in Ben was using you."

Jack shook his head. "You're crazy," he said. "You're going to take Ben's word for it. He's the one who kidnapped me, he's the one that was killing our people…"

"No," Dean interrupted him. "It wasn't Ben. It was Azkeel, the demon."

"Dean…" Jack said.

"You saw me exorcise the demon," Dean said. "You know what it was. Ben is not responsible for what the demon did."

"I don't care," Jack said. "I'm not letting you destroy the phone; it's the only thing that's going to get us off this island."

"No, it's not," Ben said. Hurt and angry he lost his temper. "There's only one way off this island and trust me, you don't want to go that way. Not yet."

"How?" Jack demanded.

"You don't get it do you?" Ben said heatedly. "You and everyone else on this island are…"

"Ben!" Danielle exclaimed.

"Dad, don't!" Alex said.

"…already dead. And I mean that literally!" Ben continued not even noticing the talk that was welling up among the people gathered around him. "That plane crash killed…"

"BEN!" John said stepping forward and gripping the smaller man by the shirt and forcing him to make eye contact. "That's enough!"

Ben's anger drained away from one moment to the next. He paled slightly and looked around him at the panic the people of flight 815 were just beginning to show. He swallowed and looked at John. "I'm sorry," he said in a barely audible whisper. "I didn't…"

John released him, motioning Alex and Danielle forward. "I know," John told him softening. "How much time do we have?"

"An hour, maybe two," he told John.

"How many?" the hunter asked.

"Twenty or thirty," Ben replied.

John nodded and said, "Go with your family my friend. Let us take it from here. You've suffered enough. Let us handle this."

"He's crazy," Jack told John when he turned around. "Whatever that thing was, it broke him."

"Yes, it did," John told him quietly. "But that doesn't make him wrong."

"Dad," Dean cautioned knowing by the look on his father's face how angry he himself was but unsure of why.

John ignored him. "Give me the phone," demanded pulling his gun out and pointing it in Jacks direction. "We don't have time to screw around. We need to destroy that phone."

"No we don't, dad," Dean told his father. "Not yet. We still need it."

"What?" John asked looking at his son.

"Think about it," Dean told him. "It's a beacon. The demons are coming to where the phone is."

John grinned at his son and lowered his gun. "Trap," he said.

"Trap," Dean replied. "But first we need to get these people to safety."

Once the gun was no longer pointing at him Jack took a step back shaking his head. They were all crazy. How could all these people be dead? How could he be dead and not know it? "No," he muttered to himself. "There crazy… they've got to be."

"No there not," Locke said beside him.

Having been unaware of Locke's approach Jack jumped slightly startled by the man. "They have to be," he replied. "You're telling me you think we're dead too?"

"No," Locke replied. "I'm telling you I know we are."

"Right," Jack replied sarcastically. "We're dead and demons are real, so tell me, where are the angels?"

Locke looked at Jack. "Angels?" Locke asked. "Do you think you deserve to be in heaven?"

All conversations stopped and the crowd parted as Jacob and Sleipnir approached at a dead run. The horse and rider slid to a stop before the Winchester men. Jacob dismounted and strode to them. "Your brother has succeeded in his task. The remaining demons are gone from Valhalla."

"How is Sammy?" Dean asked worried. "Did he have any problems?"

Kate walked up to the horse her hand reaching out to brush along the sleek coat of his neck. "You're real," she whispered to herself but was rewarded when Sleipnir turned and nuzzled her.

"He is fine for the moment," Jacob told Dean. "But I fear we are not out of the woods yet."

"We're not," Dean replied. "Those four were a drop in the bucket compared to what is coming our way, but we have another problem to deal with first." He pointed to Jack and the crowd around him.

Ben stepped up, his wife and daughter behind him, his head hung low. "I apologize, father. I lost my temper and in doing so I told them more then I should have."

Jacob stepped forward placing his hand on Ben's shoulder. He waited until Ben's eyes met his before he replied. "You have given more to this fight then anyone should be asked to give." He placed his other hand on the side of Ben's face and called upon his healing powers.

Ben gasped as the warmth of Jacob's abilities washed over him. The pain from his injuries receded and was replaced with a numbing heat as each of his wounds healed from the inside out. The bloody stumps of his wings mended and as Jacob held him, a new set grew in their place. He spread them wide and fluttered them gently with a sigh of relief before folding them wearily back into place. The bruises and cuts on his face healed and when the warmth centered on his back, where Jack had operated to remove the tumor. He gasped at the sudden burst of burning pain centered on the area. His knees buckled and he would have fallen had it not been for Danielle and Alex catching him.

"His body is restored," Jacob told his family. "But I fear the emotional damage will take much longer to heal. Have patience with him. He has suffered more then any one creature should ever have to suffer."

Jack watched in shocked amazement as the newcomer healed Ben. He watched the injuries on the smaller man's face fade away and disappear before he crumbled and was caught by Danielle and Alex. Jacob turned to face him. "Jack my friend," he said. "I think it is about time you knew the truth."

Fear gripped Jack and he stood rooted to the spot where he stood. "One," he said quietly. So quietly that only Kate and Jacob heard him. "Two, three, f…" His countdown ended when Jacob placed his hand on the side of his head.

"Remember," was all Jacob said.

Jack leaned into Jacob's hand suddenly overwhelmed by the flood of memories that the other man had released. Tears streamed down his face as he remembered everything. Temporarily distracted by the influx of memories he didn't notice Jacob move to Kate and provide her with the same treatment before moving on to the other people in the group.

**A/N - Okay now I'll bet y'all are all wondering who Jack's sister is and who Sawyer's brother and wife are right? Well, sorry but you'll have to wait until at least the next chapter to find out! For now please review and let me know your thoughts. Thanks bunches and happy holiday's to all of you!**


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